Zinc Accumulation and Tolerance in Solanum nigrum are Plant Growth Dependent.
Zinc tolerance, accumulation, and organic acid production by Solanum nigrum, a known Zn accumulator, was studied during pre- and post-flowering stages of development. The plants, when challenged with Zn concentrations lethal to plantlets, showed an increase in tolerance from pre-flowering to post-flowering, which was accompanied by a reduction of Zn translocation to the aerial plant parts. Treatment with Zn induced a differential response in organic acids according to the plant organ and developmental stage. In the roots, where Zn concentrations were similar in pre- and post-flowering plants, a general decrease in organic acid in pre-flowering roots contrasted with the increase observed in post-flowering plants. In the stems, Zn induced a generalized increase in organic acids at both growth stages while in the leaves, a slight increase in malic and shikimic was observed in pre-flowering plants and only shikimic acid levels were significantly increased in post-flowering plants. This work shows that Zn accumulation and tolerance in S. nigrum vary during plant development--an observation that may be important to improve the efficiency of phytoremediation approaches. Furthermore, the data suggest the involvement of specific organic acids in this response.
a IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular , Universidade do Porto , Porto , Portugal.
Kalina A
KA
Samardjieva
Rui F
RF
Gonçalves
Patrícia
P
Valentão
Paula B
PB
Andrade
José
J
Pissarra
Susana
S
Pereira
Fernando
F
Tavares
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D032324:Solanum nigrum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D012989:Soil Pollutants; D015032:Zinc
Solanum nigrum; organic acids; phytoremediation; plant development/growth phase; zinc accumulation