Effects of diverse doses of Lead (Pb) on different growth attributes of Zea-Mays L.

Abrar Hussain, Nabila Abbas, Fahim Arshad, Muhammad Akram, Zafar Iqbal Khan, Kafeel Ahmad, Muhammad Mansha, Farhad Mirzaei

Ahmad.
Department of Animal Production Management, Animal Science Research Institute of Iran, Karaj, Iran.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.
Department of Botany, University of Education, Okara Campus, Okara, Pakistan.
Department of Botany, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
Division of Science and Technology, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan.

DOI: 10.4236/as.2013.45037                

Abstract

The aim of the investigation was to determine the potential effect of lead on maize growth. Lead is considered as important potent environmental contaminant. Various ecological, environmental and evolutionary processes in the microsphere are disrupted because of lead toxicity to the microbial community. The effects of Lead Nitrate (Pb(No₃)₂) as heavy metal on germination, early growth seedling, root-shoot length, root-shoot fresh and dry weights, total protein content and the uptake of lead by roots and shoots of Zea-mays were investigated. All of the parameters were reduced by the increased lead concentrations. Such growth retardation was due to metals toxicity that resulted in damages to various physiological and biochemical processes.

Keywords

Lead Uptake; Zea-Mays L.; Early Seedling Growth

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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