Seasonal variations in chromium and carbohydrate accumulation by Salvinia minima in presence or absence of mineral nutrients

MARIA DE LOURDES GULTEMIRIAN; NATALY TRUJILLO CUELLAR; MARIA LAURA ROLANDI; CAROLINA PRADO; MARIANA ROSA; FERNANDO E PRADO; MIRNA HILAL

Congreso; 11TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY; 2015

The aim of this work was evaluate the absorption of chromium and soluble sugar contentin the floating fern Salvinia minima grown in presence and absence of mineral saltsduring two seasons. Plants were collected in winter and spring (southern hemisphere)from a natural pond. Plants were grown either in distilled water or Hoagland solution(1:4) with and without 5 mg/L K2Cr2O7. Plant biomass, chromium and soluble sugarswere quantified in both fronds and lacinias; conductivity and pH changes of the growthsolutions were also measured.Regardless of the season and growth medium, chromium accumulation was alwayshigher in lacinias than that fronds. In winter chromium absorption was similar for bothsolutions, but in spring a higher chromium uptake occurred in Hoagland-grown plants.Soluble sugars were higher in spring. In Cr-containing Hoagland solution the content ofcarbohydrates in lacinias decreased, but in fronds either increased or remainedunchanged. In water-grown plants a different distribution pattern was observed.Conductivity and pH values increased in both solutions, especially in presence ofchromium. Major seasonal variations were found at mineral content level. Cl-, SO42-,NO3-, PO43-, K+ and Ca2+ showed higher changes. Results show that S. minima has ahigh adaptability to survive and remove heavy metals from different environments.