Resham Sharmaa*, Neha Handaa, Manik Sharmaa, Renu Bhardwaja & Ashwani Kumar Thukrala
aDepartment of Botanical & Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab-143005, India.
Received 30th July, 2013; Revised 25th August, 2013
Abstract : Chelate mediated phytoextraction of copper (II) was studied in 7 day old seedlings of Brassica juncea L. (var. RLC 1) grown as controls and binary combinations of various copper (Cu) and tartaric acid (TA) concentrations. The seedlings from effective combinations were measured for percent seedling emergence, fresh weight, total seedling length and percent metal tolerance index as growth parameters and analysed via spectrophotometric techniques for various physiological parameters including photosynthetic pigments (total chlorophylls, Chlorophyll ratio (a/b), carotenoids, xanthophylls, flavanoids and anthocyanins), osmoprotectants (carbohydrates, proline, glycine betaine) and copper uptake. Growth parameters showed a steady decline with increasing Cu stress however tartaric acid to an extent seemed to shield the seedlings grown in controls and binary combination with Cu. In lieu of exposure to facilitated metal uptake, the hyperaccumulator responded to toxicity with a fall in most pigment levels with the exception of flavanoids and anthocyanins and heightened osmoprotectant accumulation. With an increase in Cu and tartaric acid exposure, high values for metal accumulation were recorded, indicating the enhanced chelate mediated hyperaccumulative potential of B. juncea plants.
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