Response of Arabidopsis thaliana, seedlings to cadmium in relation to ammonium availability.

This study explored the natural variability of Arabidopsis thaliana to find out its response to ammonium availability and characterize the tolerance capacity to cadmic stress under low, average or high nitrogen supplies. Growth was determined by different morphological traits and metabolic enzymes. Plant growth was inhibited by cadmium at low nitrogen regime. But, at average or high nitrogen conditions, plant growth seems to be no affected by cadmium. Cadmium inhibited glutamine synthetase activity and stimulated glutamate dehydrogenase one in order to tolerate cadmium stress. Cadmium enhanced proline and sugar tenor in average or high nitrogen plants parallel with activation of Rubisco. Observations show that cadmium-induced stress was alleviated by optimal ammonium availability.