Leaves may function as temperature sensors in the heterophylly of Rorippa aquatica (Brassicaceae).

Many plants show heterophylly, which is variation in leaf form within a plant owing to environmental change. The molecular mechanisms underlying heterophylly have recently been investigated in several plant species. However, little is known about how plants exhibiting heterophylly sense environmental cues. Here, we used Rorippa aquatica (Brassicaceae), which shows heterophylly, to investigate whether a single leaf can sense and transit changes in ambient temperature. The morphology of newly developed leaves after single-leaf warming treatment was significantly different from that of mock-treated control leaves, suggesting that leaves are sensing organs that mediate the responses to changes in ambient temperature in R. aquatica.

Tolerant mechanisms of Rorippa globosa (Turcz.) Thell. hyperaccumulating Cd explored from root morphology.

Hoagland solution was used to determine the root morphology properties of Rorippa globosa (Turcz.) Thell. and Rorippa palustris (Leyss.) Bess. Under the conditions of Cd spiked at 2.5 and 5 mg kg(-1), R. globosa showed all hyperaccumulative characteristics and was a Cd-hyperaccumulator. In contrast, R. palustris was a non-hyperaccumulator. The total root lengths, total root surface areas and total root volumes of R. globosa were not significantly decreased (p<0.05) compared to the control when 2.5 and 5 mg kg(-1) of Cd added. However, these 3 indexes of R. palustris were all significantly decreased (p<0.05) when 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg kg(-1) Cd added compared its control. The average root diameters of R. palustris and R. globosa were not affected by Cd. These results showed that root morphology might be a factor of plant with strong tolerance to Cd.

Hyperaccumulative property comparison of 24 weed species to heavy metals using a pot culture experiment.

The screening of hyperaccumulators is still very much needed for phytoremediation. With properties such as strong tolerance to adverse environment, fast growing and highly reproductive rate, weed species may be an ideal plant for phytoremediation. The objectives of this study were to examine the tolerance and hyperaccumulative characteristics of 24 species in 9 families to Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn by using the outdoor pot-culture experiment. In the screening experiment, only Conyza canadensis and Rorippa globosa displayed Cd-hyperaccumulative characteristics. In a further concentration gradient experiment, C. canadensis was affirmed that it is not a Cd hyperaccumulator. Only R. globosa, indicated all Cd hyperaccumulative characteristics, especially Cd concentration in its stems and leaves were higher than 100 mg/kg, the minimum Cd concentration what a Cd-hyperaccumulator should accumulate. Thus, R. globosa was further validated as a Cd-hyperaccumulator.