Some Responses of Two Nicotiana tabacum L. Cultivars Exposed to Vanadium

The effect of exposure to different vanadium (V) concentrations was studied in Nicotiana tabacum L. (cv. ‘Burley’ and cv. ‘Virginia’). In both cultivars, the vanadium did not affect the percentage of germination but root and shoot growth was inhibited, especially with the 80 μM dose. An altered root morphogenesis in vanadium growth plants was observed at the end of the experiment. The highest V accumulation was found in roots and the results showed a direct correlation between V content and V supply (P?≤?0.01). The V concentrations did not modify nicotine content in the cv. ‘Burley’, but in the cv. ‘Virginia’ the highest nicotine content was found in vanadium exposed plants (P?≤?0.05). The results suggest that these V concentrations may have a possible elicitor effect on alkaloid synthesis in N. tabacum L. cv. ‘Virginia’, and that this cultivar has a higher V sensitivity than the cv. ‘Burley’.