Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus veruciforme) on changes of some physiological parameters in cadmium treated wheat plants.

Soil pollution by heavy metals has become a critical environmental concern due to its potential adverse ecological effects. In this study we have investigated the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus veruciforme) on some physiological growth parameters, such as chlorophyll content, amount of total soluble sugar and total protein of wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Azar2) and we compared these factors in mycorrhizal (AM) and non-mycorrhizal (non-AM) plants. The content of chlorophyll in the absence of Cd in AM-plants was higher than non-AM plants. In the presence of mycorrhiza the content of chlorophyll a and b was decreased by increase in Cd concentration in both AM and non-AM plants. Furthermore, the amount of total soluble sugars and total proteins of shoots and roots have been increased in parallel to exogenous Cd concentration. In roots of AM-plants, the increase of soluble sugars was more dramatic in the presence of 2500 microm, but in the roots of non-AM plants this increase was step-by-step. The increase of total soluble sugars was gradually and significant in shoots of both AM and non-AM plants. The content of total proteins in shoots was raised with the increased level ofCd treatment, gradually and non-significantly.