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ABSTRACT
In this work we studied the changes in photosynthetic apparatus on pea pants, exposed to cadmium toxicity in early stages in their development. Photosynthetic oxygen evolution (flash-induced oxygen yield patterns and oxygen burst under continuous irradiation) in isolated thylakoid membranes were measured in order to investigate structural organization and functional activity of PSII centers (PSIIα and PSIIβ). Decrease of the amplitude of the initial oxygen burst (A) and the ratio between the amplitudes of the fast and slow components (A1/A2) in Cd treated plants corresponds with decrease of the number and proportion of functionally active PSIIα and PSIIβ centers. The drastic decline of the amplitudes of the flash-induced oxygen yields and the loss of the characteristic oscillations were observed in treated plants. Changes in thermolumenescense characteristics confirmed damaged effect of Cd on PSII, namely decrease in intensity and loss of oscillations of the B-band.
