XVI International Botanical Congess
We have investigated Cd accumulation in two species of Bryophyta, the liverwort Lunularia cruciata and the moss Funaria hygrometrica. Both species were exposed to CdCl2 for several days. At the end of the treatment, plants were collected and used for Cd determination by AAS. A statistical analysis of the results demonstrated that time- and dose-dependent accumulation of Cd was different in the two species (p < 0,01). Gel-permeation chromatography of the extracts of L. cruciata show that most of Cd was associated to phytochelatins. X-ray SEM microanalysis showed that Cd accumulated mainly in gametophytes. Affected tissues were hyaline parenchyma for L. cruciata and the hydroids and cortical parenchyma for F. hygrometrica..