Cadmium sensitivity of soybean related to efficiency in iron utilization

• Published in: Environmental and experimental botany 1985-01, Vol.25 (2), p.99-106
• Main Authors: Smith, G.C., Brennan, E.G., Greenhalgh, B.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agrochemicals products; Biological and medical sciences; cadmium; crop sensitivity; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycine max; iron; Other agrochemicals used in plant protection (herbicides, fungicides, etc.); Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; plant nutrition; Plant physiology and development; pollutants; Pollution effects and side effects of agrochemicals on crop plants and forest trees. Other anthropogenic factors; Pollution effects. Side effects of agrochemicals; Water and solutes. Absorption, translocation and permeability
• ISSN: 0098-8472; 1873-7307
• DOI: 10.1016/0098-8472(85)90015-2

The comparative response of T203 (PI-56319-5-1), Hawkeye, and Williams soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.) genotypes to cadmium treatment was examined. T203 (highly iron-inefficient), Williams (moderately iron-inefficient), and Hawkeye (iron-efficient) seedlings were grown for 2 weeks in sand culture amended with 0, 0.05, or 0.30 ppm Cd as CdCl 2 in the nutrient solution. Symptoms of cadmium toxicity, resembling iron deficiency chlorosis, appeared earlier and were more severe in the iron-inefficient than in the iron-efficient plants. Foliar concentrations of cadmium were similar in all genotypes. However, the high cadmium treatment reduced the iron concentration of T203 shoots by 55% and that of Williams and Hawkeye by 20 and 14%, respectively. The high cadmium treatment also reduced the zinc content of T203 plants and had a negative impact on the stem height, leaf area, and dry matter accumulation of all three cultivars. In addition, diffusive resistance was significantly increased and transpiration significantly decreased with cadmium treatment. Generally, the magnitude of the cadmium effect was greatest in T203, followed by Williams and then Hawkeye soybeans. These results support the hypothesis that the response of T203, Williams, and Hawkeye soybeans to cadmium is dependent, directly or indirectly, on their relative ability to utilize iron efficiently.