Acta Biologica Cracoviensia Series Botanica 

About: Acta Biologica Cracoviensia Series Botanica is an academic journal published by De Gruyter Open. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Endosperm & Callus. It has an ISSN identifier of 0001-5296. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 660 publications have been published receiving 8030 citations.

Effects of some heavy metals on content of chlorophyll, proline and some antioxidant chemicals in bean [Phaseolus vulgaris L.] seedlings

Abstract: The effects of lead, copper, cadmium and mercury on the content of chlorophyll, proline, retinol, α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid were investigated in 17-day-old bean seedlings (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown in Hoagland solution spiked with various concentrations of Pb, Cu, Cd and Hg. Control and heavy metal-treated plants were grown for 10 days in Hoagland solution. Content of total chlorophyll (a and b), proline, retinol, α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid was measured in ten-day-old primary leaves by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Total chlorophyll content declined progressively with increasing concentrations of heavy metals. A significant increase of proline, retinol, α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid content was detected in primary leaves after ten-day exposure to heavy metals. The strongest effect on total chlorophyll, proline, retinol, α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid content was found in plants exposed to mercury, followed by the sequence Cd ++ > Cu ++ > Pb ++ .

Drought stress effects on photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence and water relations in tolerant and susceptible chickpea (cicer arietinum l.) genotypes

Abstract: In order to evaluate morphological and physiological traits related to drought tolerance and to determine the best criteria for screening and identification of drought-tolerant genotypes, we grew two tolerant genotypes (MCC392, MCC877) and two sensitive genotypes (MCC68, MCC448) of chickpea under drought stress (25% field capacity) and control (100% field capacity) conditions and assessed the effect of drought stress on growth, water relations, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll content in the seedling, early flowering and podding stages. Drought stress significantly decreased shoot dry weight, CO2 assimilation rate (A), transpiration rate (E), and PSII photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) in all genotypes. In the seedling and podding stages, PSII photochemical efficiency was higher in tolerant genotypes than in sensitive genotypes under drought stress. Water use efficiency (WUE) and CO2 assimilation rate were also higher in tolerant than in sensitive genotypes in all investigated stages under drought stress. Our results indicated that water use efficiency, A and Fv/Fm can be useful markers in studies of tolerance to drought stress and in screening adapted cultivars of chickpea under drought

Drought stress tolerance and the antioxidant enzyme system in ctenanthe setosa

Abstract: We studied the relationship of the antioxidant enzyme system to drought stress tolerance during leaf rolling in the leaf, petiole and root of Ctenanthe setosa (Rosc.) Eichler. Chlorophyll and carotenoid content and the chlorophyll stability index decreased in the early period of drought stress but increased in later periods, approaching the control level as leaf rolling increased. Relative water content decreased, while the root:shoot ratio increased during drought stress. Lipid peroxidation also increased and then declined in the same drought period, contrary to photosynthetic pigment content. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity did not significantly change in leaves. In the petiole and root, however, it decreased in the early drought period but increased later. Glutathione reductase (GR) activity did not significantly change in the leaf and petiole versus the control, but increased in root. Peroxidase (POD) activity increased in the leaf and petiole but decreased in the root. A peroxidase isoenzyme activity band present in the control leaves did not appear in leaves exposed to 32 days of drought, but in the later periods that activity increased. Tolerance of drought stress apparently is closely associated with the antioxidant enzyme system as well as leaf rolling in C. setosa.

Uptake of cadmium, lead, nickel and zinc from soil and water solutions by the nickel hyperaccumulator berkheya coddii

Abstract: Berkheya coddii Roessler (Asteraceae), an endemic herbaceous and perennial nickel-hyperaccumulating plant growing on Ni-enriched ultramafic soils in South Africa, is perceived as a promising species for phytoremediation and phytomining due to its large biomass production and high Ni content. Total concentrations of a number of elements in mature leaves, soil and related bedrock were obtained. The average Ni concentration in leaves was 18,000 µgg -1 dry mass, whereas in soil and bedrock the total amount of Ni was 1,300 µgg -1 and 1,500 µgg -1 , respectively. Exceptionally high average Ni concentrations (55,000 ± 15,000 µgg -1 , n = 6) were found in B. coddii leaves from Songimvelo Game Reserve, including the highest-ever reported concentration of Ni in leaves (76,100 µg  g -1 - maximum value in a single sample). Young plants grown in pots with ultramafic soil accumulated small quantities of Cd, Pb or Zn, but the concentrations of these elements increased after the addition of metal solutions to the soil. Excised shoots immersed in concentrated solutions of Cd, Ni, Pb or Zn accumulated large amounts of these metals in the leaves.

Characteristics of the plant ascorbate peroxidase family

Abstract: This paper reviews plant ascorbate peroxidases (APX), an important part of the antioxidative system, maintaining the balance and uninterrupted functioning of the plant cell. The main role of APXs is to control the hydrogen peroxide concentration in cells. In reaction the enzymes use ascorbate as an electron donor. The active site is highly conserved by every member of the APX family. APXs belong to class I of the superfamily of bacterial, fungal and plant peroxidases. All the isoforms differ from each other in molecular weight, optimal pH, stability, substrate specificity, localization and level of response to specific stress conditions. It is suggested, however, that the responsible genes originated from one common gene by multiple duplication events followed by natural selection.