Effect of cadmium and lead on morpho-physiological traits and Photosynthesis of ‎sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)‎

Document Type : Full Paper

Authors

1 Ph. D. Candidate, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University (TUM), Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University (TUM), Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University (TUM), Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The present research was conducted in order to evaluate the effects of different amounts of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) on the morpho- physiological and biochemical aspects of sweet basil. Pre-treatments of the soil with different concentrations of Cd and Pb was applied two months before starting the experiment in the greenhouse, and then seeds were sown in pots containing contaminated soil, under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that application of cadmium and lead have led to significant changes in morphological traits and reduction in physiological and quality traits including number of lateral shoots, flowering intensities and stem diameter. By increasing concentrations of Cd from 0 to 20 mg. kg-1 soils, the amount of basil cadmium from 0.71 to 3.6 mg. g-1DW and with increasing concentrations of Pb from 0 to 400mg. kg-1 soil, the amount of basil Pb from 0.93 to 4.95 mg. g-1DWwas increased. Different levels of both heavy metals have resulted in significant reduction of SPAD value (22.95 to 13.98) as well as in the amount of chlorophyll a (0.755 to 0.333 mg. g-1 FW) chlorophyll b (0.330 to 0.125 mg. g-1 FW) and carotenoids (0.228 to 0.095 mg.g-1 FW) and photosystem II in chloroplasts (0.834 to 0.422) decreased compared to control plants. According to the increase of Cd and Pb in the plants is harmful and associated with the serious human health, therefore preventing culturing vegetable crops in the heavy metal contaminated soils should be considered.

Keywords


  1. Agrawal, V. & Sharma, K. (2006). Phytotoxic effects of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb on in vitro regeneration and concomitant protein changes in Holarrhena antidysenterica. Biologia Plantarum, 50, 307-310.
  2. Ali, B., Rani, I., Hayat, S. & Ahmad, A. (2007). Effect of 4-Cl-indole-3-acetic acid on the seed germination of Cicer arietinum exposed to cadmium. Acta Botanica Croatica, 66, 57-65.
  3. Almeida, A.A., Valle, R.R., Mielke, M.S. & Gomes, F.P. (2007). Tolerance and prospection of phytoremediator woody species of Cd, Pb, Cu and Cr. Brazilian Journal of Plant Physiology, 19, 83-98.
  4. Arnon, A. (1967). Method of extraction of chlorophyll in the plants. Agronomy Journal, 23, 112-121.
  5. Asgari lajayer, H., Hadian, J., Motesharezadeh, B. & GHorbanpour, M. (2014). Assessing different levels of zinc and copper impacts on micro-and macro elements accumulation and translocation in various parts of Ocimum basilicum L. plant. South Western Journal of Horticulture, Biology and Environment, 5, 105-123.
  6. Barceló, J. & Poschenrieder, C. (1990). Plant water relations as affected by heavy metal stress: a review. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 13, 1-37.
  7. Behera, R.K., Mishra, P.C. & Choudhury, N.K. (2002). High irradiance and water stress induce alterations in pigment composition and chloroplast activities of primary wheat leaves. Journal of Plant Physiology, 159, 967-973.
  8. Bigdeli, M. & Seilsepour, M. (2008). Investigation of metals accumulation in some vegetables irrigated with waste water in Shahre Rey-Iran and toxicological implications. American-Eurasian JournalofAgricultural& Environmental Sciences,4(1), 86-92.
  9. Chaiyarat, R., Suebsima, R., Putwattana, N., Kruatrachue, M. & Pokethitiyook, P. (2011). Effects of soil amendments on growth and metal uptake by Ocimum gratissimum grown in Cd/Zn-contaminated soil. Water, Air& Soil Pollution, 214, 383-392.
  10. Dib, T.A., Monneveux, P., Acevedo, E. & Nachit, M. (1994). Evaluation of proline analysis and chlorophyll fluorescence quenching measurements as drought tolerance indicators in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum). Euphytica, 79, 65-73.
  11. Gonçalves, J.F., Antes, F.G., Maldaner, J., Pereira, L.B., Tabaldi, L.A., Rauber, R., Rossato, L.V., Bisognin, D.A., Dressler, V.L. & de Moraes Flores, E.M. (2009). Cadmium and mineral nutrient accumulation in potato plantlets grown under cadmium stress in two different experimental culture conditions. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 47, 814-821.
  12. Gulcin, I., Elmastas, M. & Aboul-Enein, H.Y. (2007). Determination of antioxidant and radical scavenging activity of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L. Family Lamiaceae) assayed by different methodologies. Phytotherapy Research, 21, 354-361.
  13. Han, Y. L., Huang, S. Z., Gu, J. G., Qiu, S. & Chen, J. M. (2008). Tolerance and accumulation of lead by species of Iris L. Ecotoxicology, 17, 853-859.
  14. Huang, Z., Pan, X.-D., Wu, P.-G., Han, J.-L. & Chen, Q. (2014). Heavy metals in vegetables and the health risk to population in Zhejiang, China. Food Control, 36, 248-252.
  15. Hussain, I., Iqbal, M., Qurat-ul-Ain, S., Rasheed, R., Mahmood, S., Perveen, A. & Wahid, A. (2012). Cadmium dose and exposure-time dependent alterations in growth and physiology of maize (Zea mays). International Journal of Agriculture and Biology, 14, 959-964.
  16. Joint, F.& Additives, W.E.C.O.F. (1985). FAO/WHO food additives data system: evaluations by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 1956-1984.
  17. Khatib, M., Rashed, M.M.H., Ganjali, A. & Lahouti, M. (2008). The effects of different nickel concentrations on some morpho-physiological characteristics of parsley (Petroselinum crispum). IranianJournal of Field Crops Research, 2008, 6 (2), 295-302. (In Farsi)
  18. Kabata-Pendias, A. (2010). Trace elements in Soils and Plants. CRC Press. P.403.
  19. Liang, J., Zhang, J. & Wong, M. (1997). Can stomatal closure caused by xylem ABA explain the inhibition of leaf photosynthesis under soil drying?. Photosynthesis Research, 51, 149-159.
  20. Lone, M.I., He, Zl., Stoffella, P.J. & Yang, Xe. (2008). Phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted soils and water: progresses and perspectives. Journal of Zhejiang University Science B, 9, 210-220.
  21. Lu, C., Qiu, N., Lu, Q., Wang, B. & Kuang, T. (2002). Does salt stress lead to increased susceptibility of photosystem II to photoinhibition and changes in photosynthetic pigment composition in halophyte Suaeda salsa grown outdoors?. Plant Science, 163, 1063-1068.
  22. Majer, B.J., Tscherko, D., Paschke, A., Wennrich, R., Kundi, M., Kandeler, E. & Knasmüller, S. (2002). Effects of heavy metal contamination of soils on micronucleus induction in Tradescantia and on microbial enzyme activities: a comparative investigation. Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis, 515, 111-124.
  23. Manios, T., Stentiford, E.I. & Millner, P.A. (2003). The effect of heavy metals accumulation on the chlorophyll concentration of Typha latifolia plants, growing in a substrate containing sewage sludge compost and watered with metaliferus water. Ecological Engineering, 20, 65-74.
  24. McKenna, I.M., Chaney, R.L. & Williams, F.M. (1993). The effects of cadmium and zinc interactions on the accumulation and tissue distribution of zinc and cadmium in lettuce and spinach. Environmental Pollution, 79, 113-120.
  25. Nriagu, J.O. & Pacyna, J.M. (1988). Quantitative assessment of worldwide contamination of air, water and soils by trace metals. Nature, 333, 134-139.
  26. Ommen, O., Donnelly, A., Vanhoutvin, S., Van Oijen, M. & Manderscheid, R. (1999). Chlorophyll content of spring wheat flag leaves grown under elevated CO2 concentrations and other environmental stresses within the ‘ESPACE-wheat’project. European Journal of Agronomy, 10, 197-203.
  27. Ouzounidou, G., Čiamporová, M., Moustakas, M. & Karataglis, S. (1995). Responses of maize (Zea mays L.) plants to copper stress-I. growth, mineral content and ultrastructure of roots. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 35, 167-176.
  28. Pruvot, C., Douay, F., Hervé, F.& Waterlot, C. (2006). Heavy metals in soil, crops and grass as a source of human exposure in the former mining areas. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 6(4), 215-220.
  29. Ritchie, S.W., Nguyen, H.T. & Holaday, A.S. (1990). Leaf water content and gas-exchange parameters of two wheat genotypes differing in drought resistance. Crop Science, 30, 105-111.
  30. Root, R.A., Miller, R.J. & Koeppe, D. (1975). Uptake of cadmium-its toxicity, and effect on the iron ratio in hydroponically grown corn. Journal of Environmental Quality, 4, 473-476.
  31. Sharma, R.K., Agrawal, M. & Marshall, F.M. (2009). Heavy metals in vegetables collected from production and market sites of a tropical urban area of India. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 47, 583-591.
  32.  Sekabira, K., Oryemndash, H., Mutumba, G., Kakudidi, E. & Basamba, T. (2011). Heavy metal phytoremediation by Commelina benghalensis (L) and Cynodon dactylon (L) growing in urban stream sediments. International Journal of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 3(8), 133-142.
  33. Singh, R. & Agrawal, M. (2010). Variations in heavy metal accumulation, growth and yield of rice plants grown at different sewage sludge amendment rates. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety,73, 632-641.
  34. Suppakul, P., Miltz, J., Sonneveld, K. & Bigger, S.W.(2003). Antimicrobial properties of basil and its possible application in food packaging. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 51, 3197-3207.
  35. Tiller, K., McLaughlin, M.J. & Roberts, A. (1999). Environmental impacts of heavy metals in agro ecosystems and amelioration strategies in Oceana. Soils and Groundwater Pollution and Remediation: Asia, Africa, and Oceania, 1, 1-41.
  36.  Torabian, A.& Mahjouri, M. (2002). Heavy metals uptake by vegetable crops irrigated with wastewater in south Tehran. Journal of Environmental Studies, 16(2),52-61. (In Farsi).
  37. Vara Prasad, M.N. & de Oliveira Freitas, H.M. (2003). Metal hyperaccumulation in plants: biodiversity prospecting for phytoremediation technology. Electronic Journal of Biotechnology, 6, 285-321.
  38. Yu, L., WANG, Yb., Xin, G., SU, Yb. & Gang, W.(2006). Risk assessment of heavy metals in soils and vegetables around non-ferrous metals mining and smelting sites, Baiyin, China. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 18, 1124-1134.
  39. Zheljazkov, V.D., Craker, L.E. & Xing, B.(2006). Effects of Cd, Pb, and Cu on growth and essential oil contents in dill, peppermint, and basil. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 58, 9-16.