Differential invertase activity and root growth between Cu-tolerant and non-tolerant populations in Kummerowia stipulacea under Cu stress and nutrient deficiency

Lead (Pb)-Inhibited Radicle Emergence in Brassica campestris Involves Alterations in Starch-Metabolizing Enzymes

“…In our study, a decrease has been observed in acid invertase activity suggesting noncleavage of sucrose. A similar decrease in acid invertases has been reported in Kummerowia stipulacea under Cu stress [24]. Sturm [25] opined that hexoses play an important role in maintaining osmotic pressure, cell wall extension, and cell elongation, and a reduction in their amount results in poor plant growth.…”

Differential response to copper stress in the reproductive resources and allocation of metallophyte Kummerowia stipulacea

“…As a result, Cu concentration of the soil in this area is considerably elevated, and plants there have developed into metallophyte vegetation. Several Cu tolerant plant species are identified in this contaminated area (e.g., Liu et al, 2004;Liu and Xiong, 2005;Ke et al, 2007a,b;Li et al, 2007), among which is Kummerowia stipulacea (Xiong et al, 2008). K. stipulacea is a dominant species in the metallophyte vegetation of this area.…”

“…According to the classification of metallophytes (See Baker et al, 2010), we identified K. stipulacea as a pseudometallophyte. However, very little is known about consequences of long-term Cu contamination on the reproductive allocation in the life history of this species, though research had been conducted to investigate the biomass allocation in roots as well as its possible physiological mechanisms (Xiong et al, 2008). Furthermore, as a species of legume family, K. stipulacea have root nodules and thus have the ability to fix nitrogen from the air as the N nutrition for plants (Graham, 2007).…”

Metallophytes: the unique biological resource, its ecology and conservational status in Europe, central Africa and Latin America

“…In Europe, collaborative research programmes have been facilitated by COST (Co-Opération Scientifique et Technologique) Action 837 ('Plant biotechnology for the decontamination of waters and sites contaminated by organic pollutants and metals'), COST Action 859 ('Phytotechnologies to promote sustainable land use and improve food safety of the EU'), by the Research and Development project PHYTAC ('Development of systems to improve phytoremediation of metal contaminated soils through improved phytoaccumulation') and by the EU Research Training Network METALHOME ('Molecular mechanisms of metal homeostasis in higher plants'), both within the EU Framework V programme. Other very active research centres are in the USA at, for example, Cornell and Purdue Universities, and USDA-ARS, and recently in China (Lou et al 2004;Deng et al 2007;Ke et al 2007;Xiong et al 2008). Almost all current research focuses on the biochemistry, physiology and genetics of mechanisms for metal adaptation, and on mycorrhizal symbioses, root-associated microbes and metal tolerance (Whiting et al 2004), plant-animal interactions (Ernst 1987;Boyd & Martens 1994;Pollard & Baker 1997;Huitson & Macnair 2003;Noret et al 2007), phytoremediation (Baker et al 2000;Chaney et al 2000;van Ginneken et al 2007;Wieshammer et al 2007), aspects of the bioavailability of metals in soil and ecotoxicology predominantly in the context of risk assessment and regulatory and legislative aspects of soil contamination.…”