Bioaccumulation and effect of cadmium in the photosynthetic apparatus of Prosopis juliflora

In the present study Prosopis juliflora plants grown in hydroponics solution were exposed to 50,100 and 1000 μM CdCl 2 . The cadmium uptake, transport and toxicity on the photosynthetic activities in the plants were measured at 48 h after starting cadmium treatments. The results showed that the concentration of Cd 2+ in P. juliflora tended to increase with addition of Cd 2+ to hydroponics solution. However, the increase of Cd 2+ in roots and leaves varied largely. In this sense, the accumulation of Cd 2+ in P. juliflora roots increased significantly in proportion with the addition of this metal. In contrast a relatively low level of Cd 2+ transportation index, and bioaccumulation factor were found in P. juliflora at 48 h after of treatments. On the other hand the maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and the activity of photosystem II (Fv/Fo) ratios in P. juliflora leaf treated with Cd 2+ not showed significantly changes during the experiment. These results suggested that the photosynthetic apparatus of P. juliflora was not the primary target of the Cd 2+ action. Further studies will be focused in understanding the participation of the root system in Prosopis plants with the rhizosphere activation and root adsorption to soil Cd 2+ under natural conditions.