Zinc adsorption and desorption characteristics in root cell wall involving zinc hyperaccumulation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sedum alfredii</Emphasis> Hance

Radiotracer techniques were employed to characterize 65Zn adsorption and desorption in root-cell-wall of hyperac-cumulating ecotype (HE) and non-hyperaccumulating ecotype (NHE) species of Sedum alfredii Hance. The results indicated that at the end of a 30 min short time radioisotope loading period, comparable amounts of 65Zn were accumulated in the roots of the two ecotypes Sedum alfredii, whereas 2.1-fold more 65Zn remains in NHE root after 45-min desorption. At the end of 60 min uptake period, no difference of 65Zn accumulation was observed in undesorbed root-cell-wall of Sedum alfredii. However, 3.0-fold more 65Zn accumulated in desorbed root-cell-wall of NHE. Zn2 binding in root-cell-wall preparations of NHE was greater than that in HE under high Zn2 concentration. All these results suggested that root-cell-wall of the two ecotypes Sedum alfredii had the same ability to adsorb Zn2 , whereas the desorption characteristics were different, and with most of 65Zn binding on root of HE being available for loading into the xylem, as a result, more 65Zn was translocated to the shoot.