Chemical Composition of Tobacco Genotypes in Response to Zinc Application under Cadmium Toxicity

Kınay A., Erdem H., Karakoç E.

ROMANIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, no.38, pp.1-10, 2021 (SCI-Expanded)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.59665/rar3832
  • Journal Name: ROMANIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, CAB Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database
  • Page Numbers: pp.1-10
  • Yozgat Bozok University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd), a non-essential heavy metal that cannot be naturally degraded, causes toxicity for plant, animal and human due to the easy incorporation into the food chain with its high mobility in soil-plant system. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) contrary to other crops, has ability to absorb and accumulate high concentration of Cd in the leaves without showing phytotoxicity symptom. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of zinc (Zn) applications on chemical composition of tobacco leaves under increased doses of Cd under greenhouse conditions. The experimental layout was randomized plots with three replicates, and two different tobacco genotypes (Birlik-124, Xanthi-81) were used as the plant material of the experiment. Plant growing medium was a Zn-deficient calcareous soil, and plants were treated with increasing Cd (0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10 mg kg-1 soil) and Zn (0 and 5 mg kg-1 soil) doses. The tobacco leaves were harvested in three times and all harvested leaves were dried under sunlight. The leaf samples were analyzed for Cd and Zn concentrations, nicotine, glucose, fructose, chlorogenic and rutin contents. The Cd concentration from leaves of both tobacco genotypes significantly increased (P<0.05) with the increase in Cd application rate, but the increase in Cd concentration decreased with Zn application. Application of increased Cd doses significantly (P<0.05) increased or decreased the nicotine content of leaves, while Zn application caused a significant increase in nicotine contents of both tobacco genotypes. The nicotine content in Birlik-124 and Xanthi-81 genotypes was 0.41 and 0.48% in control plants (Zn0), and increased up to 0.54% in plants treated with zinc (Zn5 variant). Similar to the nicotine content of both tobacco genotypes, the responses of both genotypes to Cd stress was different form each other, however, Zn application under Cd toxicity caused an increase in sugar synthesis of tobacco varieties. The results revealed that Zn plays an important role in the alleviating the negative effects of Cd stress in tobacco plants.