CHROMIUM ACCUMULATION AND DISTRIBUTION IN CROP PLANTS

Crop plants accumulated chromium from nutrient solutions labelled with either 51CrIII or 51CrVI and retained approximately 98 % of the elements in the roots. Of the 9 crop species examined, cauliflower plants accumulated the most chromium in both shoots and roots and mung bean seedlings the least. Species differences of approximately 10‐fold in the tops and 5‐fold in the roots were recorded. The roots of each species supplied with 51CrIII contained more chromium than those supplied with 51CrVI but the reverse was found in the shoots. There was a greater proportion of soluble chromium in plants supplied with 51CrVI than in those supplied with 51CrIII, the major soluble compound being tentatively identified as trioxalato‐CrIII. Little chromium was associated with cell organdies or soluble proteins. Copyright © 1979 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd