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Heavy metal toxicity in soils has been considered as major constraints for oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) production. In the present study, toxic effects of chromium (Cr) were studied in 6-d-old seedlings of four different cultivars of B. napus (ZS 758, Zheda 619, ZY 50, and Zheda 622). The elevated content of Cr inhibited seedling growth, decreased the content of photosynthetic pigments, and activities of antioxidant enzymes, as well as increased the content of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species in all the cultivars. The Cr content in different parts of plants was higher in Zheda 622 than in other cultivars. The electron microscopic study showed changes in ultrastructure of leaf mesophyll and root tip cells at 400 μmol Cr, and these changes were more prominent in Zheda 622. An increased size and number of starch grains and number of plastoglobuli, damaged thylakoid membranes, and immature nucleoli and mitochondria were observed in leaves. In roots, enlarged vacuoles, disrupted cell walls and cell membranes, an increased number of mitochondria and a size of nucleolus, as well as plasmolysis (in Zheda 622) were observed. On the basis of these findings, it can be concluded that cv. Zheda 622 was more sensitive to Cr as compared to other three cultivars.

Embryogenic cultures of Dactylis glomerata L. were subjected to NaCl stress by culturing for 4 passages in Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) medium containing 30 µM dicamba and 200 mM NaCl. Ultrastructural studies indicated invaginations and disruptions of the plasma membrane. Membrane-bound vesicles were observed in the cytoplasm of NaCl treated cells and their occurrence were increased with the culture age.

Ten-days-old bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L., cv. Cheren Starozagorski) were treated with simulated acid rain (pH 2.4, 2.2, 2.0 and 1.8). Anatomical changes in the primary leaves were studied 3, 48 and 168 h after a single treatment. This treatment induced: 1) change in the shape of palisade cells, contraction of their contact surfaces and expansion of spongy cells (pH 1.8, 3 h after treatment); 2) reduction of symplast connections among palisade cells and of apoplast in the spongy mesophyll (pH 1.8, 48 h after treatment); 3) destruction of adaxial epidermis and portions of palisade mesophyll, plasmolysis of spongy cells (pH 1.8, 168 h after treatment); 4) full destruction of mesophyll (pH 2.4, 2.2, 2.0 and 1.8, 168 h after treatment). The structure of abaxial epidermis was more stable than that of the adaxial one. With respect to anatomical parameters the studied species could be considered as comparatively resistant to acid rain.

This paper describes a procedure for isolation and preservation of mesophyll cells, adapted toValerianella olitoria. We have tested the best conditions of temperature, pH, enzyme concentration, plasmolysis and the action of several adjuvants, dithioerythritol and mineral nutrients. The method described gives a high yield of viable cells. The ability of isolated cells and cellsin situ to take up methyl-glucose is compared.

The overall washing out of ions, especially86Rb+ (as the tracer for K+), from hypocotyl segments of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) into distilled water or a CaCl2 solution was studied, during plasmolysis with a saccharose solution and during deplasmolysis. Compartimental analysis was used to evaluate the86Rb+ washing out kinetics. During plasmolysis, the washing out of86Rb+ increases, due to two processes whose half-times are lower than those during washing out into the CaCl2 solution. During deplasmolysis, the permeability of plasmalemma and tonoplast is substantially descreased, leading to washing out of most86Rb+ from the cells. Plasmolysis differs from a mere decrease in the turgor pressure in the fact that after exchange for a hypotonic solution the membranes are irreversibly damaged. The aim of this work was to monitor the changes in the cell membrane permeability due to a change in the water potential of the cells, especially during plasmolysis and deplasmolysis.

The effect of different exposures to RTG radiation (100 r, 250 r, 500 r, 1000 r, 2500 r, 5000 r) on the changes of the permeability of the epidermal cells ofAllium cepa L., variety Vsetaty, bulbs was studied during three vegetation periods. Bulbs from growing plants (followed from the development phase of bulb growth) and bulbs immediately after harvesting were used for the experiments. It was demonstrated in our experiments by plasmolysis that the radiation-induced changes of cell permeability were irreversible. When plasmolytic agents of non-electrolyte character (1M sucrose, 1M glycerol, 1M urea) were used, the equilibrium state (total plasmolysis) was reached more rapidly with the irradiated bulbs than with the unirradiated controls. When electrolytes were used (0·5M KNO3, 0,5M KBr), total plasmolysis occurred less rapidly with the irradiated objects than with the controls. These relationships were manifest during the whole ontogenesis ofAllium cepa L. An exposure to 100 r was sufficient in our experiments for causing the mentioned changes, proving a considerable sensitivity of the osmotic properties of the epidermal cells ofAllium cepa L. bulbs to ionizing RTG radiation. Plasmolytic experiments after smaller exposures than 100 r of RTG-rays are in preparation.