Morphological Variation of Theobroma cacao L. Affected by Increasing Doses of Heavy Metals
Morphological Variation of Theobroma cacao L. Affected by Increasing Doses of Heavy Metals
Robinson Torres Ronquillo1, Manuel Carrillo Zenteno2, Wuellins Durango Cabanilla2, Diego Franco Ochoa1, César Quinaluisa Morán1, Seyed Mehdi Jazayeri3,4, Gregorio Vásconez Montufar5, E. Rajasekhar6, Naga Raju Maddela7* and Ronald Villamar-Torres1,5*
ABSTRACT
The objective was to determine the effects on morphological changes in cocoa plants (EET-103 clone) due to the effect of increasing doses of heavy metals (HMs): Mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd). Through seven treatments with four replications, the variations in stem diameter, plant height and chlorophyll activity were determined. The obtained results were analyzed by a completely randomized experimental design, and the comparison of means using the Tukey test (p <0.05). A dose of 1.50 mg kg–1 Hg decreased the stem diameter growth rate. Regarding the chlorophyll activity, it was found that both Pb and Cd with the different doses applied to the soil did not exhibit statistically significant differences and without reaching a high degree of toxicity. Regarding Hg, it was found that there is a greater effect in older leaves, observing that at doses greater than 22.5 mg kg–1 a decrease in chlorophyll activity was caused. For Cu, it was found that, both at the beginning and at the end, leaf three showed a higher value of R2 (regression analysis) (> 0.6), which can be used to evaluate the effects of soil Cu on chlorophyll activity.
To share on other social networks, click on any share button. What are these?
November 2023
Vol. 39, Sp. Iss. 2
