Cadmium and hypodermal periderm formation in roots

Cadmium and hypodermal periderm formation in roots

Periderm as a result of secondary meristem activity is not usually formed in monocot species. Lux et al.  describe periclinal cell division in the hypodermal layer of Merwilla plumbea, an African medicinal species often found on contaminated soils, which results in formation of multilayered suberized tissue when roots are treated with cadmium. This may be a novel defence reaction of young plants, protecting the roots from radial uptake of Cd ions.