title: Photosynthesis and growth responses of pea Pisum sativum L. under heavy metals stress.
abstract: The present work aimed to study the physiological effects of cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) in pea (Pisum sativum). Pea plants were exposed to increasing doses of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) and copper chloride (CuCl2) for 20 d. The examined parameters, namely root and shoot lengths, the concentration of photosynthetic pigments and the rate of photosynthesis were affected by the treatments especially with high metals concentrations. The analysis of heavy metals accumulation shows that leaves significantly accumulate cadmium for all the tested concentrations. However, copper was significantly accumulated only with the highest tested dose. This may explain the higher inhibitory effects of cadmium on photosynthesis and growth in pea plants. These results are valuable for understanding the biological consequences of heavy metals contamination particularly in soils devoted to organic agriculture.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Environmental Toxicology, ISA Chott-Mariem, Sousse 4042. Tunisia. sabrine_hattab1@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Sabrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hattab
authors.forename: Boutheina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dridi
authors.forename: Lassad
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chouba
authors.forename: Kheder Mohamed
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ben
authors.forename: Hamadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bousetta
mesh_terms: D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D003300:Copper / Q000633:toxicity*; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010788:Photosynthesis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D019207:beta Carotene; D002734:Chlorophyll; C037184:chlorophyll b; D003300:Copper; D019256:Cadmium Chloride; C029892:cupric chloride; D000077194:Chlorophyll A