Journal of Environmental Biology

Leaf biochemistry of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. at different stages of plant development as affected by mercury treatment

 

Nidhi Gauba, Mahmooduzzafar, T.O. Siddiqi*, S. Umar and Muhammad Iqbal

Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi-110 062, India

(Received: January 22, 2005 ; Revised received: August 25, 2005 ; Accepted: September 17, 2005)

Abstract: The effect of mercury (Hg) on the biochemical parameters of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill leaf was studied. Application of mercuric chloride in varying concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mM HgCl₂ kg^-1 sand) caused significant reduction that? went up to 89% and 72% chlorophyll a and chlorophyll? b contents? repectively (at flowering stage), 69% in carotenoid content, 64% in total soluble protein content and 91% in nitrate reductase activity (all at post-flowering stage). The amounts of nitrate and proline increased maximally (151% and 143% respectively) at the flowering stage, whereas total soluble sugar enhanced by 57% at the post-flowering stage. Changes observed in most of the parameters, were concentration dependent. Such studies seem to be able to discover suitable bioindicators of heavy metal pollution.

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