The effect of cadmium and salinity on germination and early growth of Brassica juncea (L.) Var. Juncea

Salinity is an expanding worldwide issue that affects agricultural soils and limits the restoration of contaminated sites. In spite of the substantial number of papers about salt and Cd tolerance in a broad range of Brassica juncea cultivars, no accounts about the variety juncea (wild type) have been found. In this study, seeds of B. juncea (var. juncea) were allowed to germinate and grow for 8 days, subjected to the individual and combined effect of Cd (0, 15 and 30 mg L^-1) and NaCl (0, 60 and 120 mM). Germination was not reduced by any of the treatments, no oxidative stress was registered, and overall the seedlings development was not severely impaired. The synergistic effects of Cd and salt did not appear to have significantly contributed for growth impairment, and signs of decay were solely related to the individual effect of Cd and NaCl. Furthermore, data suggests that mild concentrations of NaCl enhanced Cd uptake. It was concluded that B. juncea (var. juncea) may present moderate tolerance to Cd and salinity during germination and the early growth stage. Additional research in this and upcoming growth phases would be crucial to confirm the moderate tolerance of B. juncea (var. juncea) to Cd and salinity.