Influence of lead acetate on seed germination and growth of young alfalfa plants

Abstract

This study presents the results of testing the effect of different concentrations of lead-acetate on seed germination and young Seedlings of alfalfa. Тhe experiment was organized so that in the first variant, only lead-acetate of different concentrations (10-5, 10-4, 10-3, 10-2 and 2 x 10-2 M) was used, and in the second, next to the lead acetate EDTA concentration of 0.012 % was added. The results of this study in which natural conditions are imitated showed that the percentage of alfalfa seed germination decreases with increasing lead-acetate concentrations. In a medium of high concentration of lead acetate 10-2 and 2 x 10-2, a small number of seeds (39% and 32 (32%) germinated. In the same treatments with EDTA, the toxic effects of lead acetate were reduced, and seed germination was better (59% and 43% seeds germinated). It has been noticed that lead has toxic effects on the growth of alfalfa roots and stems. In the variant in which EDTA was used, the negative influence of lead on and growth of alfalfa seedlings was significantly mitigated.