INFLUENCE OF CADMIUM APPLICATION ON CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM OF PIGEONPEA (CAJANUS CAJAN (L.) MILLSPAUGH) CULTIVARS

The effects of cadmium (0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 mM ) on carbohydratefractions were evaluated in 2-8 day old seedlings of three pigeonpea(Cajanus cajan L.) cultivars LRG30, LRG41 and ICPL85063. Theaccumulation of starch, total soluble, reducing and nonreducing sugarcontents in roots and shoots exhibited a continuous increase and thecotyledons showed a continuous decrease in the starch and sugar contentswith increasing age of the seedlings as well as with increasingconcentrations of externally supplied metal ions. Amylase activity of thedifferent parts of the three pigeonpea cultivars decreased with increasingconcentrations of Cd ions. Between the three pigeonpea cultivars, LRG41and ICPL85063 exhibited lower values than LRG30 in response to Cdtreatment.

Keywords:

Amylase , accumulation , cadmium , carbohydrate fractions , pigeonpea cultivars