Effect of Heavy Metal Stress on Spore Germination of Pteris Confusa TG
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Journal of Stress Physiology & Biochemistry, Vol. 7 No. 4 2011, pp. 207-216 ISSN 1997-0838 Original Text Copyright © 2011 by Irudayaraj, Johnson, Priyakumari and Janani Prabha ORIGINAL ARTICLE Effect of Heavy metal stress on spore germination of Pteris confusa T. G. Walker and Pteris argyraea T. Moore Irudayaraj V., Johnson M.*, Priyakumari A.S., Janani Prabha A. Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Palayamkottai – 627 002, Tamil Nadu, India Tel: + 91 97 86 92 43 34; Fax: + 91 462 2561 765 *E-mail: [email protected] Received September 22, 2011 Background: Plants have both constitutive and adaptive mechanisms for coping with the elevated metal concentrations and they are utilized to clean the polluted soil and water. Unlike angiosperms hyperaccumulators, fern hyperaccumulators are equipped with inherent biological characteristics that could be exploited in the phytoremediation strategies aimed at decontaminating polluted sites. Fern spores can be successfully used to screen the hyperaccumualting ferns and also to test the toxicity of the metal contaminated samples. Purpose of the Study: In the present study, a preliminary attempt was made to compare the tolerance capacity of the spores of two ferns; Pteris confusa T. G. Walker and Pteris argyraea T. Moore against the heavy metal zinc (Zinc sulphate). Spores of the two ferns were cultured in Knop’s liquid medium with various concentrations of zinc sulphate (0-200ppm). Results: In the case of P. confusa normal germination was observed in control, 120 ppm and 140 ppm and the germination of spores were failed in 160, 180 and 200 ppm of zinc supplemented cultures. In contrary, P. argyraea showed maximum percentage of spore germination in 140 ppm zinc supplemented cultures and the control and 120 ppm zinc sulphate supplemented cultures were failed to show the germination. The germination percentage and growth rate was decreased in high concentration of zinc sulphate. Rhizoids are showed more tolerance to heavy metal than protonema of P. argyraea. Conclusion: Difference in response of spores to the heavy metal zinc may be due the difference in the hyper-accumulating capacity of the ferns. Key words: Zinc Sulphate; Heavy metal; Spore; Stress JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 7 No. 4 2011 208 Effect of Heavy metal stress on spore germination... ORIGINAL ARTICLE Effect of Heavy metal stress on spore germination of Pteris confusa T. G. Walker and Pteris argyraea T. Moore Irudayaraj V., Johnson M.*, Priyakumari A.S., Janani Prabha A. Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Palayamkottai – 627 002, Tamil Nadu, India Tel: + 91 97 86 92 43 34; Fax: + 91 462 2561 765 *E-mail: [email protected] Received September 22, 2011 Background: Plants have both constitutive and adaptive mechanisms for coping with the elevated metal concentrations and they are utilized to clean the polluted soil and water. Unlike angiosperms hyperaccumulators, fern hyperaccumulators are equipped with inherent biological characteristics that could be exploited in the phytoremediation strategies aimed at decontaminating polluted sites. Fern spores can be successfully used to screen the hyperaccumualting ferns and also to test the toxicity of the metal contaminated samples. Purpose of the Study: In the present study, a preliminary attempt was made to compare the tolerance capacity of the spores of two ferns; Pteris confusa T. G. Walker and Pteris argyraea T. Moore against the heavy metal zinc (Zinc sulphate). Spores of the two ferns were cultured in Knop’s liquid medium with various concentrations of zinc sulphate (0-200ppm). Results: In the case of P. confusa normal germination was observed in control, 120 ppm and 140 ppm and the germination of spores were failed in 160, 180 and 200 ppm of zinc supplemented cultures. In contrary, P. argyraea showed maximum percentage of spore germination in 140 ppm zinc supplemented cultures and the control and 120 ppm zinc sulphate supplemented cultures were failed to show the germination. The germination percentage and growth rate was decreased in high concentration of zinc sulphate. Rhizoids are showed more tolerance to heavy metal than protonema of P. argyraea. Conclusion: Difference in response of spores to the heavy metal zinc may be due the difference in the hyper-accumulating capacity of the ferns. Key words: Zinc Sulphate; Heavy metal; Spore; Stress Toxic metal pollution in water and soil is a major remediation approaches do not provide acceptable environmental problem and most conventional solutions. Phyto-remediation, popularly known as JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 7 No. 4 2011 Irudayaraj et al 209 “green clean” is a novel strategy for the removal of phytoremediation strategies aimed at toxic contaminants from the environment by using decontaminating polluted sites. Fern spores are plants. This concept is increasingly being adopted, successfully used to screen the hyper accumulating as it is a cost effective and user friendly alternative ferns and also to test the toxicity of the metal to traditional methods of treatment. In India, aquatic contaminated samples. Chinese brake, Pteris vitata, vascular plants like Hydrilla verticillata, Spirodela exhibits considerable promise in the polyrrhiza, Bacopa monnierii, Phragmites karka phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated sites and Scirpus lacustris have been used to treat worldwide due to its unique ability of hyper chromium contaminated effluent and sludge from accumulating arsenic. Currently research is involved leather tanning industries. in elucidating the physiological and molecular Tolerance of plants to grow in heavy metal mechanism of arsenic hyper accumulation in contaminated soil is also an evolutionary process. Chinese brake. Since ferns have the characteristics Metal tolerance is one of the best examples of of both primitive and land plants, an understanding microevolution driven by anthropogenic activities. of biological mechanism of hyper accumulation is Humans, in attempt to make life better, have turned necessary (Bondada and Qiying, 2003). into a geophysical force and rapidly destroyed the Western Ghats in India is rich in fern diversity; integrity of the environment by polluting it with about 250 ferns are growing in variety of edaphic heavy metals. A rapid rate of metal pollution of the conditions. The tropical genus Pteris to which the environment can be string force of selection causing Chinese brake fern belongs, is with about fifteen rapid volutionary changes in organisms manifested species on the Western Ghats (Manickam and as metal tolerance occurring over time scales as Irudayaraj, 1992). The tropical genus Pteris to which hundreds of years and even decades (Jules and the Chinese brake fern belongs, is with about fifteen Shaw, 1994). Plants have both constitutive and species on the Western Ghats (Manickam and adaptive mechanisms for coping with the elevated Irudayaraj, 1992). They are cytologically diversified metal concentrations and they are utilized to clean (Manickam and Irudayaraj, 1988). The presence of the polluted soil and water. Plants possess some cytological diversity which is the indication of characteristic features, which enable them to absorb genetical diversity provides opportunities for the from soil and water, heavy metals such as iron (Fe), biologist to find out the cytotype / genotype with manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo) more of hyper accumulating potentiality. It was also and nickel (Ni), which are essential for their growth known that, like the sporophyte of the ferns, the and development. Plants also accumulate toxic gametophytes are also show the hyper accumulating metals, which may not have any biological function, capacity. Before the application of a plant in phyto- these include: silver (Ag), cadmium (Cd), chromium remediation program, it should be thoroughly (Cr), cobalt (Co), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and checked up for its hyper accumulating capacity. selenium (Se) etc. the over accumulating capacity of Since ferns are with independent sporophytic and the some plants utilized to clean polluted soil. gametophytic generation, it is necessary to carry out Unlike angiosperms hyper accumulators, fern hyper such studies in both sporophytic and gametophytic accumulators are equipped with inherent biological generations. With this knowledge the present study characteristics that could be exploited in the was aimed to study the effect of heavy metal Zinc JOURNAL OF STRESS PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY Vol. 7 No. 4 2011 210 Effect of Heavy metal stress on spore germination... on spore germination and growth of Pteris confusa min. Since the present study is to know the T. G. Walker and Pteris argyraea T. Moore. Since toxic effects of zinc on spore germination, the Zinc is also a micronutrient and vast amount of unsterilized spores were used as explants. For fertilizer “ Zinc sulphate” is used in Tea and Coffee spore germination, the spores of Pteris confusa estate leading to soil pollution, it has been selected and Pteris argyraea were cultured on liquid for the present study. P. confusa and P. argyraea are Knop’s medium supplemented with various common terrestrial ferns growing in and around the concentration of Zinc sulphate (0, 120, 140, tea estate in high altitude of the Western Ghats. So 160, 180 and 200 ppm). After the inoculation, these species have been selected to know the the cultures were incubated at 25° ± 2°C under tolerance