Water exchange parameters of lettuce plants under the action of cadmium ions

Abstract

According to the purpose of the work, the effect of cadmium ions on the water exchange parameters in green Lolo and red Lolo Ross varieties of Lactuca sativa L. was investigated. In the experiment one-month plants grown on the medium where 0.1 mM cadmium was added in the sulfate form for fourteen days were used. The investigated parameters included: water deficit index, relative turgescence, free water content, cellular juice concentration, stomatal density and condition, and tolerance index. The weighable, refractometric, microscopic and analytical methods of research were used during the investigation Due to the results, the various plant response to the cadmium ions action in these lettuce varieties was revealed. In particular, the water deficit growth, reduction of the relative turgescence parameter, the free water content and concentration of cellular juice compared with the control level during the exposure was recorded in the green Lolo variety. Whereas, the water deficit decrease, an increase in the parameters of relative turgescence and free water content to the fourteenth day of exposure was noted for the red Lolo Ross variety. And also the absence of a reliable difference in the parameter of the concentration of cell juice. In addition, in both varieties, there was an increase in xeromorphism of the leaf blades, and in particular the stomata density. But in Lolo variety, most were locked in, unlike the Ross variety. According to the characteristics of the water exchange and stomatal analysis, it can be argued about the higher adaptive capacities of the Lolo Ross variety to this stress factor, compared with the Lolo variety.