ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Impact of Short-Term Exposure to Pb and Cd
on Flavonoid Composition and Seedling Growth
of Common Buckwheat Cultivars
Marcin Horbowicz1, Henryk Dębski1, Wiesław Wiczkowski3, Dorota Szawara-Nowak3,
Danuta Koczkodaj1, Joanna Mitrus1, Hubert Sytykiewicz2
1Department of Plant Physiology and Genetics,
Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Prusa 12, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland
2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Prusa 12, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland
3Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences,
Department of Chemistry and Biodynamics of Food, Tuwima 10, 10-747 Olsztyn, Poland
Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Prusa 12, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland
2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Prusa 12, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland
3Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences,
Department of Chemistry and Biodynamics of Food, Tuwima 10, 10-747 Olsztyn, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2013;22(6):1723–1730
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to compare the tolerance of seedlings of three Polish buckwheat cultivars
(Hruszowska, Kora, and Luba) for short-term exposure to Pb2+ and Cd2+. Seedlings were grown under controlled
conditions in Hoagland nutrient solution, with the addition of low/high Pb2+ or Cd2+ ions (0.01 and 1.00
mM, respectively). After 3 days of treated seedling growth, the levels of total anthocyanins and content of particular
flavonoids were measured. The presence of low concentrations of both Pb2+ and Cd2+ resulted in a small
stimulation of the growth of seedlings of all studied cultivars, while higher doses inhibit root growth and, to a
much lesser extent, that of shoots. Cadmium (Cd2+) ions were more harmful for growth of buckwheat seedlings
than Pb2+ ions. More resistant to stress caused by the presence of high concentrations of Pb2+ and Cd2+ in the
growth medium were seedlings of Hruszowska and Luba cultivars, compared to Kora seedlings. Cotyledons
of more resistant cultivars (Hruszowska and Luba) contained much more flavonoids than cotyledons of Kora.
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