The Effects of Heavy Metals on Pollen Germination and Pollen Tube Length in the Tobacco Plant

This study was carried out to determine the effects of heavy metals (Ni, Fe, Pb, Co, Cd, Hg, Al, Zn and Cu) on pollen germination and pollen tube length in the tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cv. Karabağlar. The results showed that enhanced concentrations of heavy metals, except Fe, decreased the pollen germination rates and the pollen tube lengths. With Fe concentrations, on the other hand, first a positive, and then a negative relation was determined between the pollen characteristics examined. The most toxic effect on pollen germination was seen with the applications of Cu, Ni and Hg; on pollen tube length, on the other hand, a similar tendency was determined with the applications of Hg, Cd and Ni. The toxic effects of Co, Al and Fe were found to be low on both of the pollen characteristics. As a result, all the heavy metals examined prevented pollen germination and tube growth in the tobacco plant, but their toxicity levels varied.