Structural, Biochemical, and Physiological Adjustments for Toxicity Management, Accumulation, and Remediation of Cadmium in Wetland Ecosystems by Typha domingensis Pers

Five populations of Typha domingensis Pers. were evaluated for their tolerance to different regimes of cadmium (Cd). Plants were collected from different sites in Punjab province of Pakistan viz. Jaranwala (S 1 ), Farooq Abad (S 2 ), Chiniot (S 3 ), Khurianwala (S 4 ), and Sidhnai (S 5 ). Collected plants were established for three months and then subjected to Cd levels, i.e., 0, 50, 100, and 150 µM L −1 . Differential changes in attributes presented variation in tolerance level of T . domingensis populations against Cd toxicity . Fresh and dry biomass, photosynthetic pigments, and total soluble sugars were decreased in all populations under Cd stress, but reduction in biomass of S 2 plants was least. Similarly, amino acids, protein contents, and antioxidant enzymatic activity were increased in S 2 and S 3 under Cd. The populations, i.e., S 2 , S 3 , with better anti-oxidative metabolism, ionic partitioning, and growth presented useful structural changes in root and leaves. Contrary to increased leaf thickness, area of leaf and root conducting vessels was decreased with increasing Cd concentrations but these changes were lowest in S 2 plants as compared to other populations. Our data indicate that the higher tolerance to Cd toxicity observed in S 2 population of T . domingensis could be related to the collective role played by physiological, biochemical and anatomical changes.