| Author(s) | *Muna Al-Rumaih, *S.S. Rushdy, and **A.S. Warsy |
| Affiliation | Department of Botany and Microbiology, **Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box22452, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia |
| Title | The Interactive Effect of Cadmium Chloride and Gibberellic Acid on Nucleic Acid and Enzyme Levels in Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata L. |
| Source | Journal of King Saud University. Science. Volume 16, No 1. (2004/1424) |
| Abstract | The effect of different concentrations (0, 20, 40, 80, 160 ppm) of cadmium chloride (CdCl2 ) in the presence or absence of 100ppm gibberellic acid (GA3) on nucleic acid (DNA, RNA) levels and on enzyme (peroxidase, ribonuclease) activities in roots and shoots of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) at three growth stages (early, intermediate, late) were investigated .The results revealed reduction in nucleic acid levels and stimulation of enzyme activities in the presence of cadmium chloride .These changes were more significant at higher CdCl2 concentrations and during the early growth stage, and became less significant at the later phenological phases of growth. Application of GA3 simultaneously with different concentrations of CdCl2 tended to increase nucleic acid levels and to decrease enzyme activities , particularly at lower CdCl2 concentrations and during the intermediate stage followed by the early growth stage , thus pointing to the role of GA3 in reducing the inhibitory effect of CdCl2 .Roots were more affected by CdCl2 treatments and less affected by the combined treatment of CdCl2 and GA3 in comparison to shoots. Keywords: Cadmium, Gibberellic acid, Peroxidase, Ribonuclease, Nucleic acids, Vigna unguiculata |
