Cadmium and chromium effects on seed germination and root elongation in lettuce, spinach and swiss chard

Abstract

The La Ramada district and the Bogota River are the principal water resources used for horticultural crop production on the Bogota Plateau, which contain channel pollutant materials, including heavy metals due to domestic and industrial activities on the Plateau. These materials have effects on crop production in this zone. The present research, under laboratory conditions, aimed to evaluate the effect of three concentrations (25, 35 and 50 μM L-1) of cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) on imbibition, seed germination and root elongation in lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. Batavia), Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla ‘White Ribbed’), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea Hib. 424), three species widely cultivated on the Plateau. The three species used for evaluation showed a differential susceptibility response to Cd and Cr. In lettuce, fresh weight increase (imbibition) was lower with all Cd concentrations at the last day of observation and at 25 μM L-1 of Cd in Swiss chard. Cadmium reduced seed germination by up to 46%, 97% and 8% in Swiss chard, lettuce and spinach, respectively. Also, root elongation decreased in Cd treatments by up to 57%, 89% and 56%, for Swiss chard, lettuce and spinach, respectively. Chromium, which showed fewer negative effects, decreased germination by up to 29% in Swiss chard, 6% in lettuce and 34% in spinach, as compared to the control.