Intra-specific variability in the response of maize to arsenic exposure

The response of maize (Zea mays L.) to inorganic arsenic exposure was studied, at the seedling stage under hydroponic conditions, preliminarily in sixteen lines (fourteen hybrids and two inbred lines) and then, more deeply, in six of these lines, selected by showing contrasting differences in their sensitivity to the metalloid. The results indicated that (i) maize is rather tolerant to arsenic toxicity, (ii) arsenite is more phytotoxic than arsenate, (iii) roots are less sensitive than shoots to the metalloid, (iv) a great accumulation of non-protein thiols (probably phytochelatins), without substantial effect on the glutathione content, is produced in roots but not in shoots of arsenic-exposed plants and (v) maize is able to accumulate high levels of arsenic in roots with very low translocation to shoots. The study, thus, suggests that maize, for its very low rate of acropetal transport of arsenic from roots to shoots, may be a safe crop in relation to the risk of entry of metalloid in the food chain and, for being an important bioenergy crop capable of expressing high levels of arsenic tolerance and accumulation in roots, may represent an interesting opportunity for the exploitation of agricultural useless arsenic contaminated lands.