1. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
National Conference on ‘Organic Farming : Need of the Time’ (10th – 12 October 2013)
Seed Germination of a Weed, Portulaca oleracea L. in Heavy Metal Environment
Rohit A Kale1*and Avinash B Ade1
 1Department of Botany, University of Pune, Ganeshkhind, Pune – , Maharashtra, India
Portulaca Oleracea L. (Purslane) belongs to Family, Portulacaceae. It is 8th most common fast growing, annual weed (Liu et al. 2000).
It is used as a food source for humans and fodder for livestock (Mitich 1997). The shoots are rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, alfa-
tocopherols, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, vitamin E and glutathione (Wenzel et al., 1990; Lim et al ., 2007). P. oleracea can grow on
multiple metal contaminated sites (Tiwari et al., 2008; Dwivedi et al., and Amer et al., 2013). Chromium (Cr) is the most toxic
Metal. It is the second most common heavy metal contaminating fresh water and soil (Shanker et al.,2005; Diwan et al., 2010,
Ellis et al., 2002). Cr causes toxic effects on plant growth, development and physiological processes (Chandra et al., 2004). The effect
of Cr on seed germination of a weed, Portulaca oleracea was observed in the current investigation.
INTRODUCTION
OBJECTIVES
To study the lethal dose of Cr and its effect on seed germination of Portulaca oleracea .
To study the growth and antioxidants of Portulaca oleracea in respect to different concentrations of Cr.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The Seeds were surface sterilized with 1 % sodium hypochlride (v/v) for 10 min and washed three times with distilled water.
25 seeds spiked on moist germination paper in Petri dishes with various concentrations (0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 ppm) of Chromium (VI) prepared in half strength Hoagland nutrient solution. pH was maintained at 5.8.
The germination percentage and growth parameters like shoot length and root length were observed after two weeks.
Proline assay was done by using Bates method.
Catalase Estimation was done by Aebi method (1984).
Peroxidase Estimation was done by Putter method (1974).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
Figure 2
Figure 1
Figure 1: Effect of different concentrations of chromium on percent seed germination; shoot and root length of the seedlings.
Figure 2: Effect of different concentrations of chromium on activities of antioxidant enzymes [Catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX)].
Figure 3: Effect of different concentrations of chromium on accumulation of proline.
Figure 3
REFERENCES
Shanker AK, Cervantes C, Loza-Tavera H, Avudainayagam S Chromium toxicity in plants. Environment International 31:
Acknowledgment: Author is thankful to the Head , Department of Botany, University of Pune.