ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Biochemical Response of Glycine max (L.) Merr. to Lead Stress 

This pot experiment investigated the effects of varying concentrations of lead acetate in soil on selected biochemical parameters in soybean (Glycine max (L.)), Lead concentrations were set at 0 (control), 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 mg/kg of soil, with observations recorded at pre-flowering (30 days), peak-flowering (45 days), and post-flowering (60 days) stages. Results indicated a clear dose-response relationship between lead acetate concentration and soybean biochemical attributes. The highest levels of chlorophyll-a (0.6287 mg), chlorophyll-b (1.0193 mg), total chlorophyll (1.6480 mg), carbohydrate (53.04 mg), lipid (43.23 mg), and protein content (9.00 mg) were recorded at 200 mg/kg during the post-flowering stage. In contrast, increasing lead concentrations led to significant reductions in all biochemical parameters compared to the control group, with the most severe impacts observed at 1000 mg/kg where chlorophyll-a (0.2961 mg), chlorophyll-b (0.4889 mg), total chlorophyll (0.7850 mg), carbohydrate (27.08 mg), lipid (33.92 mg), and protein content (3.897 mg) significantly declined.

These findings underscore the toxic impact of lead acetate on soybean growth, highlighting the urgent need for effective mitigation strategies to address lead contamination, thereby promoting agricultural sustainability and protecting public health.