What effect have the metals at legislative concentration on the germination and growth of plants?

What is it about?

We have investigated the effect of sevene heavy metals easily found in the environment on the germination rate and growth of three common plants (sorghum, cress and cucumber). The plants were exposed to metals by the addition of metals into soil. For each metal, we tested different concentration including the level equal to the Italian legal value (contamuination threshold) for residential soils

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Why is it important?

We found that Italian limits are not suitable for plant protection in our experimental conditions. Some metals are, in fact, able to induce adverse effects in plants when metal is presenti al concentration equal to the limits. Moreover, when the seven metals are present contemporarly in concentratio equal to each threshold the germination rate and root elongation of exposed plants are heavily affected.