A simple, fast, and easy-to-perform method was carried out for the quantification of the inhibitory effects of metals on wheat and cucumber. The method uses seed germination, root elongation, and hypocotyl and coleoptile growth in these plants as parameters in the presence of varying concentrations of metals. Metals selected for this study were Hg, Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, and Zn. Although effective concentrations of these metals for a certain degree of inhibition were different, both plants had a reduced seed germination rate, root, and hypocotyl or coleoptile length with increasing concentrations. Mercury was determined to be the most inhibitory metal on these parameters. This metal caused a complete inhibition of germination in wheat and cucumber seeds at certain concentrations-->or=1.5 mM in cucumber and at 1.7 mM in wheat. No other metal caused this kind of inhibition even at the highest concentration (8.0 mM) applied. Though this metal possessed a higher inhibition of germination in cucumber than in wheat seeds, the inhibitory effects of other metals used were the reverse, being higher in wheat. With some exceptions, all metals in selected concentrations caused a significant ( p < 0.01 or p < 0.05) decrease in germination rate of both plants compared to control group seeds.

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Effects of cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 H 2 O) on the content of chlorophyll (a'/b), chlorophyll a/b ratio, proline, protein and abscisic acid in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) seedlings has been investigated. One-week-old seedlings were grown at cadmium concentration of 0.05, 0.07 and 0.09 mM for ten days in Hoagland's solution. Elevated cadmium levels increased the abscisic acid contents in roots, shoots and leaves of seedlings. An increase of proline in the leaves of seedlings exposed to cadmium occurred, as well as a decrease of chlorophyll (a'/b) and total protein (p B/0.05 or p B/0.01) contents. Thus cadmium levels at certain critical points negatively affect seedling growth.

The pollens of apple flowers have been treated with simulated acid rain solutions in range of pHs 2.9 to 5.0 in order to determine the threshold proportion values that lead the observed symptoms of detriments of acid rain. Compared to controls (pH 6.5), pollen germination decreased by 41.75% at pH 3.3 and pollen tube elongation decreased by 24.3% at pH 3.4. Acid rain threshold proportion value was around pH 3.3 and 3.4 for apple pollen germination and pollen tube elongation, respectively. Furthermore, pollen tube elongation was determined to be more sensitive to acid rain than pollen germination. The pH values below 3.1 resulted in complete destruction of pollen tubes. Pollen germination entirely stopped at around pH 3.0. Finally, it has been shown that the acid rain has a blocking effect on pollen germination and pollen tube elongation in apple. The conclusion is that not only pH value but also the quantity of acid rain is important factor in germination. The results were found statistically significant through the LSD test at levels of p < 0.05 and p < 0.01.

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