A pot experiment was undertaken to investigate the effect of Cd, Pb and Zn multi-contamination on the physiological and metabolic response of carrot (Daucus carota L.) after 98 days of growth under greenhouse conditions. Multi-contamination had a higher negative influence on leaves (the highest Cd and Zn accumulation) compared to the roots, which showed no visible change in terms of anatomy and morphology. The results showed the following: (i) significantly higher accumulation of Cd, Zn, and Pb in the multi-contaminated variant (Multi) compared to the control; (ii) significant metabolic responses-an increase in the malondialdehyde content of the Multi variant compared to the control in the roots (by 20%), as well as in the leaves (by 53%); carotenoid content in roots decreased by 31% in the Multi variant compared with the control; and changes in free amino acids, especially those related to plant stress responses. The determination of hydroxyproline and sarcosine may reflect the higher sensitivity of carrot leaves to multi-contamination in comparison to roots. A similar trend was observed for the content of free methionine (significant increase of 31% only in leaves); (iii) physiological responses (significant decreases in biomass, changes in gas-exchange parameters and chlorophyll a); and (iv) significant changes in enzymatic activities (chitinase, alanine aminopeptidase, acid phosphatase) in the root zone.

• Klíčová slova
• cadmium, free amino acids, lead, malondialdehyde, photosynthesis, root vegetable, soil enzymes, zinc,
• MeSH
• chlorofyl a metabolismus   MeSH
• kadmium * metabolismus   MeSH
• mrkev obecná * metabolismus   MeSH
• olovo metabolismus   MeSH
• půda MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chlorofyl a MeSH
• kadmium * MeSH
• olovo MeSH
• půda MeSH

In this study, we observed the effect of the application of soil dust enriched with risk elements (Cd, Pb, As and Zn) to leaf surfaces of lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) while it was grown under hydroponic conditions. This study aimed to determine how low soil dust particulate matter (PM) doses affected the activity of or damaged the photosynthetic apparatus and how the uptake of risk elements was associated with both epigenetic changes (5-methylcytosine content, i.e., 5mC) and stress metabolism. During the study, we obtained many results pertaining to risk element contents and biochemical (total phenolic content (TPC), malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the amount of free amino acids (AAs)) and physiological (photosynthesis parameters: net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, intercellular CO2 concentration, stomatal conductance, instantaneous water-use efficiency, maximum quantum yield of PSII, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, and leaf water potential (WP)) plant features. The results showed an increase in MDA and 5mC. However, the transpiration rate, WP and free AAs decreased. In conclusion, contamination by very low doses of soil dust PM had no direct or significant effect on plant fitness, as shown by the TPC and 5mC content, which indicates that plants can overcome the oxidative stress caused by the accumulation of risk elements. From the above, we propose the use of epigenetic changes as biomarkers of potential changes in the activation of plant metabolism under stress caused by environmental pollution.

• MeSH
• chlorofyl metabolismus   MeSH
• fotosyntéza MeSH
• listy rostlin metabolismus   MeSH
• pevné částice * metabolismus   MeSH
• prach * MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• rostliny metabolismus   MeSH
• salát (hlávkový) metabolismus   MeSH
• voda metabolismus   MeSH
• znečištění životního prostředí MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chlorofyl MeSH
• pevné částice * MeSH
• prach * MeSH
• půda MeSH
• voda MeSH

Arsenic is a ubiquitous toxic element that can be accumulated into plant parts. The present study investigated the response of Pteris cretica and Spinacia oleracea to As treatment through the analysis of selected physiological and metabolic parameters. Plants were grown in pots in As(V) spiked soil (20 and 100 mg/kg). Plants' physiological condition was estimated through the determination of elements, gas-exchange parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence, water potential, photosynthetic pigments, and free amino acid content. The results confirmed differing As accumulation in plants, as well as in shoots and roots, which indicated that P. cretica is an As-hyperaccumulator and that S. oleracea is an As-root excluder. Variations in physiological and metabolic parameters were observed among As treatments. Overall, the results revealed a significant effect of 100 mg/kg As treatment on the analysed parameters. In both plants, this treatment affected growth, N, Mg, S, Mn, and Zn content, as well as net photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence, and total free amino acid content. In conclusion, the results reflect the similarity between P. cretica and S. oleracea in some aspects of plants' response to As treatment, while physiological and metabolic parameter changes related to As treatments indicate the higher sensitivity of S. oleracea.

• Klíčová slova
• abiotic stress, amaranthaceae family, arsenic contamination, fern, metalloid, pteridaceae family, spinach,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity affects numerous metabolic processes in plants. In the presence of Cd, plants accumulate specific amino acids which may be beneficial to developing Cd tolerance. Our study aimed to characterize the changes in the metabolism of selected free amino acids that are associated with Cd tolerance, and investigate the levels of selected microelements in order to relate these changes to the adaptation strategies of two metallophytes-Noccaea caerulescens (Redlschlag, Austria) and Noccaea praecox (Mežica, Slovenia). The plants were exposed to Cd contamination (90 mg Cd/kg soil) for 120 days in a pot experiment. Our results showed higher Cd accumulation in N. praecox compared to N. caerulescens. Cadmium contamination reduced the zinc and nickel levels in both species and a mixed effect was determined for copper and manganese content. Differences in free amino acid metabolism were observed between the two metallophytes growing under Cd-free and Cd-loaded conditions. Under Cd-free conditions, aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine, tryptophan and tyrosine) and branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine) were accumulated more in the leaves of N. praecox than in N. caerulescens. Cd stress increased the content of these amino acids in both species but this increase was significant only in N. caerulescens leaves. Marked differences in the responses of the two species to Cd stress were shown for alanine, phenylalanine, threonine and sarcosine. Cadmium contamination also induced an increase of threonine as alanine and sarcosine decrease, which was larger in N. caerulescens than in N. praecox. All these factors contribute to the higher adaptation of N. praecox to Cd stress.

• MeSH
• aminokyseliny metabolismus   MeSH
• Brassicaceae klasifikace   účinky léků   růst a vývoj   metabolismus   MeSH
• fyziologický stres účinky léků   MeSH
• kadmium toxicita   MeSH
• listy rostlin účinky léků   růst a vývoj   metabolismus   MeSH
• metabolické sítě a dráhy účinky léků   MeSH
• sarkosin metabolismus   MeSH
• stopové prvky metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• aminokyseliny MeSH
• kadmium MeSH
• sarkosin MeSH
• stopové prvky MeSH