EFFECT OF HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM (K2CrO7) ON GERMINATION OF Atriplex halimus L.

E SAIDANI; B NEDJIMI

E SAIDANI Université de Djelfa, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Laboratoire d’Exploration et de Valorisation des Écosystèmes Steppiques, Cité Aîn Chih, BP3117 Djelfa 17000, Algérie
B NEDJIMI Université de Djelfa, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Laboratoire d’Exploration et de Valorisation des Écosystèmes Steppiques, Cité Aîn Chih, BP3117 Djelfa 17000, Algérie.

Keywords: Atiplex halimus, hexavalent chromium, heavy metals, rate of germination, depollution

Abstract

Atriplex halimusis a perennial halophyte, which is widely distributed in the Algerian salt steppes. This study reports the effect ofHexavalent chromium (K2CrO7) on the germination this species. Seeds were germinated in presence of ten metal concentrations (0, 1, 10, 20, 50, 100 and150 mM K2CrO7) and 16h/8h of photoperiod. Results showed that seeds were characterized by low sensitivity to 1mM K2CrO7. The threshold of sensitivity of germination was about 10.5 mM K2CrO7. A. halimusis highly tolerant of chromium pollution at germination stage.