Influence of Mercury on Soybean Plants (Glycine max L.) at Low pH |
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Authors: | Naoto Nihei Tomoyuki Ohya Keitaro Tanoi Hiroshi Iikura Bunzaemon Kanke Tomoko M. Nakanishi |
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Affiliation: | Fukushima Prefecture Agricultural Experiment Station, Fukushima, 963–8041 Japan;Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113–8657 Japan;Fukushima Prefecture Agricultural Experiment Station Cool Weather Damage Branch, Fukushima, 969–3122 Japan |
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Abstract: | The influence of Hg on soybean plants under different pH conditions and Hg concentrations was studied. Growth inhibition by Hg was higher in roots than the upper part of the plant, but was highly dependant on pH condition. Growth inhibition of roots was observed when Hg concentration was higher than 1 mg Hg L−1 for pH 4.0 and 5 mg Hg L−1 for pH 6.0. Using 203Hg as a radioactive tracer, the amount of Hg (1 mg Hg L−1) uptake in root was found to be about 1.5 times higher at pH 4.0 than that at pH 6.0; suggesting that Hg when highly accumulated at the lower pH induced inhibition of root growth. Decreased amounts of Hg due to evaporation during the plant growth were very low, but were higher at pH 6.0 than that at pH 4.0. There was hardly any translocation of Hg from roots to the upper parts through the stem within 24 h. |
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Keywords: | 203Hg low pH mercury radiograph soybean |
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