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Photosynthesis: Photoreactions to Plant Productivity pp 451–468Cite as

Effect of Heavy Metals on Photosynthesis in Higher Plants

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Abstract

Heavy metals have adverse effects on plant growth and metabolism. Photosynthesis is quite sensitive to heavy metal toxicity and both in vivo ano in vitro photosynthetic CO2 fixation are affected by heavy metals. Most of the elements studied are inhibitory to photosystem (PS) II, PS I being less sensitive in isolated chloroplasts. A common site of action seems to be at the oxidizing side of PS II. Photophosphorylation and/or enzyme activity are also possible sites of inhibition. Inhibition in vivo seems to be due to multiple effects of these metals. The immediate effect is on stomatal closure followed by chloroplastic changes. Long-tenn exposure results in reduced leaf growth, decreased photosynthetic pigments, chlil1ged chloroplast structure, and decreased enzyme activities for CO2 assimilation.

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  1. I. S. Sheoran

    Present address: Seed Technology Centre, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India, 125 004

    I. S. Sheoran & Randhir Singh

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  1. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India

    Yash Pal Abrol

  2. Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

    Prasanna Mohanty

  3. University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA

    Govindjee

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Sheoran, I.S., Singh, R. (1993). Effect of Heavy Metals on Photosynthesis in Higher Plants. In: Abrol, Y.P., Mohanty, P., Govindjee (eds) Photosynthesis: Photoreactions to Plant Productivity. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2708-0_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2708-0_18

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