Dynamics of Sodium‐22 and Cesium‐134 in Young Wheat Plants

Abstract

The dynamics of the two alkali metals sodium and cesium in crop plants are relevant in an ecological context. Redistribution processes for these elements in young wheat plants were investigated in the work reported here. Two days old wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Arina) were fed for 24 h with sodium‐22 (²²Na) and cesium‐134 (¹³⁴Cs) via the main root and incubated afterwards in a culture room. Cesium‐134 accumulated in newly formed parts of the main root and in the expanding leaves during the first 20 days after labeling, while ²²Na accumulated transiently in these plant parts, reached a peak and declined after a few days. A high percentage of ²²Na was released from the roots to the medium. Total Na in leaves also accumulated transiently, but its highest accumulation appeared later than the peak of ²²Na. Therefore, the distribution and retranslocation processes differ considerably for sodium and cesium in wheat plants. Such differences must be considered for the evaluation of environmental effects (e.g., release of pollutants into the environment) on the quality of harvested cereal products.

Keywords:

• Cesium
• Sodium
• Pollution
• Xylem
• Phloem
• Translocation
• Wheat

Acknowledgments

This work was a contribution to the National Centre of Competence in Research “Plant Survival” and was partially supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Environment, Forests and Landscape.