title: Leaf biochemistry of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. at different stages of plant development as affected by mercury treatment.
abstract: The effect of mercury (Hg) on the biochemical parameters of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill leaf was studied. Application of mercuric chloride in varying concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mM HgCl2 kg(-1) sand) caused significant reduction that went up to 89% and 72% chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b contents respectively (at flowering stage), 69% in carotenoid content, 64% in total soluble protein content and 91% in nitrate reductase activity (all at post-flowering stage). The amounts of nitrate and proline increased maximally (151% and 143% respectively) at the flowering stage, whereas total soluble sugar enhanced by 57% at the post-flowering stage. Changes observed in most of the parameters, were concentration dependent. Such studies seem to be able to discover suitable bioindicators of heavy metal pollution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110 062, India.
authors.forename: Nidhi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gauba
authors.lastname: Mahmooduzzafar
authors.forename: T O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Siddiqi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Umar
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iqbal
mesh_terms: D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008628:Mercury / Q000633:toxicity*; D050901:Nitrate Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011392:Proline / Q000378:metabolism; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids; C037184:chlorophyll b; D011392:Proline; D050901:Nitrate Reductase; D008628:Mercury; D000077194:Chlorophyll A