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Some effects of cadmium on maize plants

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Abstract

The growth of the whole plant and the chlorophyll content, oxygen evolution, and chloroplast ultrastructure of leaf tissues have been studied in maize plants grown on a culture medium either without cadmium (Cd) or supplied with increasing concentrations of the metal. The plants treated with high Cd concentrations showed symptoms of heavy metal toxicity, such as length reduction of both roots and shoots, leaf bleaching, ultrastructural alterations of chloroplasts and lowering of photosynthetic activity. Some symptoms appeared at 100 μM Cd, but the strong toxic effects of the metal were found only at 250 μM Cd.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Trieste 75, 35121, Padova, Italy

    Nicoletta Rascio & Francesca Dalla Vecchia

  2. Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo 6, 35131, Padova, Italy

    Massimo Ferretti, Lucia Merlo & Rossella Ghisi

Authors
  1. Nicoletta Rascio
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  2. Francesca Dalla Vecchia
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  3. Massimo Ferretti
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  4. Lucia Merlo
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  5. Rossella Ghisi
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Rascio, N., Vecchia, F.D., Ferretti, M. et al. Some effects of cadmium on maize plants. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 25, 244–249 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212136

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212136

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