The Effect of Some Heavy Metals on the Growth of Garlic under In Vitro Conditions

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is an important plant species because of its nutri-tional and medical value. One of the important advantages of plant tissue culture is in vitro selection. The tolerance of garlic to some heavy metals under in vitro condi-tions was studied. In vitro experiments were carried out in Murashige and Skoog (MS) nutrient medium supplemented with different doses of cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) at 100 gm, 200 gm, 300 gm, 400 gm, and 500 gm. During experiments, plant length, num-ber of leaves, leaf length, root number, and root length parameters were considered. In the findings, there was a decrease in both leaf and root development as doses of heavy metals increased. In addition, it has been found that the decrease in plant development at doses of 400 gm and 500 gm was higher compared with other doses. There was no root formation at high doses of Cd, Co, Ni, and Cu (400 gm and 500 gm). As a recom-mendation, further research should be conducted under in vivo conditions to evaluate the level of tolerance to heavy metals in garlic.