Cadmium Toxicity in Common Beans: Comparative Analysis Germination in Aydintepe and Ispir Genotypes

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils is a significant issue. Phaseolus vulgaris, a vital crop, is particularly sensitive to Cd, which impacts germination and early growth stages. This study aims to examine these effects to develop strategies for managing Cd toxicity in agriculture.

This study was conducted at Kahramanmaras Sutçu Imam University between June 2023 and September 2023. This study investigates the effects of cadmium (Cd) toxicity on the growth and germination of Phaseolus vulgaris L. (common bean) cultivars Aydintepe and Ispir. Various concentrations of Cd (0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 mg/l) were applied and their impacts on root weight, plumula fresh weight, plumula length, radicle length and germination percentage were evaluated.

The results revealed that higher Cd concentrations significantly reduced root weight, radicle length and germination percentage in both cultivars. The Ispir variety exhibited slightly better tolerance in terms of root weight and plumula fresh weight compared to Aydintepe. Additionally, Aydintepe showed longer plumula lengths than Ispir across all Cd concentrations. No significant difference was observed between the two cultivars in terms of radicle length and germination percentage. These findings highlight the detrimental effects of Cd on plant growth and germination, emphasizing the need for selecting Cd-tolerant varieties for cultivation in contaminated soils. The study suggests further research into the genetic and physiological mechanisms underlying Cd tolerance to develop more resilient crop varieties.