Effects of Cd, Hg and Pb on the Respiration of the Germinating Seeds

발아종자의 호흡작용에 미치는 Cd, Hg 및 Pb의 영향

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of cadmium(Cd), mercury(Hg) and lead(Pb) on the respiration of the germinating seeds. Two kinds of seeds namely, mungbean (Paseolus radiatus L.) and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum M ench) were used for the plant materials. The concentrations of Cd, Hg, and Pb applied for the treatment were 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1,000ppm. The germination test was carried out in the dark at 27$^{\circ}C$. Regardless of the kinds of heavy metals, the respiration of the germinating seeds was greatly increased for 24hrs absorbing the heavy metals, and subsequently the respiration was increased average 0.69mg/g.hr.CO2 for mungbean and 0.7mg/g.hr.CO2 for buckwheat. In the lower concentrations of cadmium and lead than 10ppm the germinating rates, seedling concentraitons. The germinating rates, the seedling growth and the respiration were not increased in ay concentrations of mercury, but were decreased with increase of the mercury concenration. The inhibition of seeds respiration by mercury was 3 times higher than by cadmium, and 5 times higher than that by lead. The toxicity of three heavy metals on the respiration was showed from the highest to the lowest in the order of Hg, Cd, and Pb.