Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Cd²⁺ on germination, growth, proline content, lipid peroxidation, and DNA fingerprinting of in vitro grown Cichorium pumilum. Results showed that seed germination was highly inhibited by cadmium (down to 47% at 1600 µM CdCl₂). In addition, root and shoot growth showed significant decreases in response to CdCl₂ level. Analysis of proline content and lipid peroxidation showed that with increasing CdCl₂ levels in the growing medium, the amount of proline accumulation and lipid peroxidation increased gradually. Total chlorophyll content was found to increase only at higher tested levels of Cd²⁺ (800 and 1600 µM). The results also show that Cd²⁺ inhibits callus growth at different levels starting from 50 µM CdCl₂ compared with the control in the callus growth experiment. Callus growth ceased completely at 200 µM CdCl₂ and above. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis showed DNA alterations in Cd²⁺-treated C. pumilum microshoots compared with the control. The results of this experiment showed that Cd²⁺ stress affects several physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes in C. pumilum.

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