Hydroponic experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of arsenic on seedlings of Wrightia arborea and Holoptelea integrifolia. Results revealed that W. arborea could tolerate much higher arsenic concentration than H. integrifolia. Therefore, further investigations were focused on W. arborea using higher arsenic concentrations (0.2-2.0 mM). Seedlings of W. arborea accumulated about 312-2147 and 1048-5688 mg/kg dry weight of arsenic in shoots and roots, respectively, following treatments with 0.2-1.5 mM of arsenic without exhibiting arsenic toxicity signs. However, arsenic at 2.0 mM caused decline in growth. Macronutrients content such as Ca, S (except at 2.0 mM), and K (only in root) increased while Mg, P, and K (shoot) decreased by arsenic treatments. However, the content of micronutrients was enhanced under arsenic treatments. Non-protein thiols (NP-SH) showed positive correlations with arsenic doses up to 0.2-1.5 mM but at 2.0 mM there was a decline in NP-SH thus suggesting important role of NP-SH in imparting arsenic tolerance. This study demonstrated that W. arborea that could tolerate arsenic concentrations up to 0.2-1.5 mM may be useful in arsenic phytoremediation programs.
Keywords: Holoptelea integrifolia; Wrightia arborea; arsenic contamination; mineral elements; phytoremediation.