EFFECTS OF CADMIUM ON GROWTH AND NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF BREAD AND DURUM WHEAT GENOTYPES

This study was carried out to determine the effects of increasing cadmium (Cd) doses (0, 10 and 25 mg kg(-1) soil) on root and shoot dry weights, shoot Cd, macro-and micronutrient compositions of bread (Seri-82) and durum (Balcali-85) wheat genotypes. Plants were grown under controlled conditions for 47 days. Following the harvest, shoot and root dry matter productions were determined, and the concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and Cd in shoots were measured. Macro-and micro-nutrient contents were calculated by multiplying shoot dry weights and nutrient concentrations. Increased Cd doses significantly decreased (P< 0.05) root and shoot dry matter productions and most of nutrient contents in shoot. The declines in shoot and root dry weights with increasing Cd levels were higher in durum wheat than bread wheat. Durum wheat genotype had higher Cd concentration in shoot than that of bread wheat. Effects of cadmium treatments on variations of nutrient contents were found to be different. Cadmium supplies decreased N, P, K, Fe, Zn and Cu contents of bread wheat and all measured element contents of durum wheat. The results revealed that durum wheat genotype was more sensitive to Cd supply than bread wheat and high Cd accumulation was possibly, associated with more distinctive decreases of nutrient uptakes in durum wheat than bread wheat.