Effect of copper sulphate on seed germination, plant growth and peroxidase activity of mung bean {vigna radiata)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to find the effect of copper as a micronutrient for enhanced plant growth, protein content and antioxidant enzyme activity of mungbean (Vigna radiata) under the influence of different concentrations of copper. The effect of various copper sulphate solution has insignificant effect on the percent germination of mungbean while plumule and radicle length decreased with increase in copper concentration (50, 200, 500 and 1000 μM copper sulphate solution). Total protein content in root was significantly higher (127.7%) than shoot (83.7%) as compared to control. Peroxidase activity, in case of shoot, increases with increase in copper sulphate concentration i.e., (1.423 of control to 1.713, 2.29, 2.52, 2.88 and 3.02 OD/min/mg protein in different copper sulphate solutions treatments after 72 h) while for the root copper sulphate solution has negative effect on the peroxidase activity i.e., (11.41 of control to 11.19, 10.85, 10.04, 9.73 and 9.40 OD/min/mg protein in different copper sulphate solutions treatments after 72 h). The present experiment revealed that copper is an essential micronutrient which promoted the seedlings growth at less than 50 μM concentration. Higher concentration significantly decreases shoot and root length. The protein concentration in both shoot and root of the seedling was recorded to be enhanced with increase in the concentration of copper sulphate as compared to control. POD activity in root decreased at higher levels of copper concentration while POD activity in shoot increased with increasing concentration. © 2011 Asian Network for Scientific Information.