title: Hybrid larch (Larix x eurolepis Henry): a good candidate for cadmium phytoremediation?
abstract: Studies related to phytoremediation by conifers are still at their beginning. Thus, we investigated the ability of a hybrid larch (Larix x eurolepis) to accumulate cadmium (Cd). One-month-old clonal plantlets grown in vitro were exposed for 1 week to a high Cd concentration (1.5 mM). No significant effect was observed on root and shoot biomass, root length, and needle number as a result of Cd treatment. Leaf photosynthetic pigment content and total soluble protein concentration in roots and shoots remained unchanged compared to control plantlets. Taken together, these results suggested that hybrid larch tolerated Cd in our conditions. The high Cd concentration in shoots (200 μg Cd gram(-1) dry weight) showed the good capacity of larch to translocate Cd and thus a potential use of this species for phytoremediation. Furthermore, under our conditions, phytochelatin biosynthesis pathway was slightly stimulated, suggesting that this pathway did not reach the threshold and/or another mechanism of Cd storage may be involved to explain larch tolerance to Cd.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Chimie des Substances Naturelles (EA 1069), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Limoges, 123 avenue Albert Thomas, 87060, Limoges Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Chris Fabien Moussavou
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Moudouma
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riou
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gloaguen
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saladin
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D028221:Larix / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium