PJB-2008-84
PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF LIGHT HARVESTING PIGMENTS AND SOME BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES UNDER ALUMINIUM STRESS
RAFIA AZMAT AND SEHRISH HASAN
Abstract
Aluminium (Al) bioavailability has raised much interest in the last two decades because of its acute toxicity, particularly at high dose, which results in the morphological and physiological disorder. Lens culinaris was selected to study the effects of Al on photosynthetic pigments and synthesis of carbohydrate contents in acidic soil. Growth inhibition like leaf mass ratio (LMR), stem mass ratio (SMR), root mass ratio (RMR) and ratio of dry and fresh weight of total plant DW/FW and reduced biomass production were general response of Al on seedlings. Results showed that Al altered the photochemistry of light-harvesting pigments that were decreased at all applied concentration of Al. This may be attributed, with breakdown of photosynthetic apparatus. Absorption spectrum of pigments showed that concentrations of chlorophyll a and b were decreased without shift in wavelength of pigments, which may be due to the decrease in absorption of photon of light that ultimately alter the synthesis of starch contents. Aluminum enters the cells, it reacts with phosphorus compounds, and upsets the plant phosphorus metabolism, and consequently the reduction in plant phosphorus was observed.
To Cite this article:
Download
