Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Cellular Mechanisms In Higher Plants Governing Tolerance To Cadmium Toxicity, Girish Choppala, Saifullah, Nanthi Bolan, Sadia Bibi, Muhammad Iqbal, Zed Rengel, Anitha Kunhikrishnan, Nanjappa Ashwath, Yong Ok

Dr Girish Choppala

Cadmium (Cd) is an inorganic mineral in the earth's crust. Cadmium entry into the environment occurs through geogenic and anthropogenic sources. Industrial activities including mining, electroplating, iron and steel plants, and battery production employ Cd during their processes and often release Cd into the environment. When disseminated into soil, Cd can be detrimental to agro-ecosystems because it is relatively mobile and phytotoxic even at low concentrations. Cadmium's phytotoxicity is due to reductions in the rate of transpiration and photosynthesis and chlorophyll concentration resulting in retardation of plant growth, and an alteration in the nutrient concentration in roots and leaves. In …