Genetic line effects on parameters influencing cadmium concentration in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Abstract

Cd uptake rates, translocation percentages, and shoot:root ratios were determined for 4 lettuce lines known to concentrate different levels of leaf Cd. Uptake rates were measured for one hr on 14‐day‐old plants exposed to Cd concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 100.00 nM. PI 278080, the high Cd line, had the highest uptake rate; PI 140398 and PI 169493, 2 low‐Cd lines, had intermediate uptake rates; and ‘Ruby’, a low‐to‐intermediate line, had the lowest overall uptake rate. Translocation percentages and shootrroot ratios were measured from one to 7 days on 15‐ to 21‐day‐old seedlings grown at 0.4 μM Cd. PI 278080 and ‘Ruby’ translocated about 40% of absorbed Cd to shoots, whereas PI 140398 and PI 169493 translocated about 30%. The shoot:root ratios of PI 278080, PI 140398 and PI 169493 ranged from 2.5 to 2.7, and these values were significantly lower than the ratio of 3.4 for ‘Ruby’.

Notes

Assistant Professor of Biology and Horticulture, Penn State‐Fayette Campus, P.O. Box 519, Unionville, PA 15401.

Associate Professor.