Published in Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, Volume LX
Written by Oana-Alexandra DRĂGHICEANU, Liliana Cristina SOARE

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of chronic cadmium (Cd) action on the germination of spores and gametophyte differentiation in species Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth and Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott, on different culture media (Knop solution, soil) for a period of 3 months. Cadmium was used in the following concentrations: C=0 mg Cd ∙ L^-1 Knop solution/kg^-1 soil, V₁=25 mg Cd ∙ L^-1 Knop solution/kg^-1 soil, V₂=50 mg Cd ∙ L^-1 Knop solution/kg^-1 soil, V₃=100 mg Cd ∙ L^-1 Knop solution/kg^-1 soil, V₄=150 mg Cd ∙ L^-1 Knop solution/kg^-1 soil. The percentage of germinated spores was found to decrease with the increasing Cd concentration in the environment, while germination is delayed in time. Unlike the Knop solution variants, in the soil variants gametophyte development was not significantly affected; for V1-2 soil concentrations the sporophyte appears in Athyrium filix-femina, a stage that was also noted for the Knop solution control, for the same species. In the case of the variants grown on Knop solution, although the spores did germinate and the gametophyte began to differentiate, Cd-induced chronic stress cannot be compensated by the gametophyte, so that the cells lose their membrane integrity, and their survival is compromised.

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