Objetivo The influence of harmful pollutants in the soil such as high heavy metal concentration, on plants is recognised earlier by plant roots than by plant shoots. The root tips and the adjacent elongation zone is known as the most sensitive zone of the root. The aim of this joint project, involving scientists from three countries, is to develop methods of using root growth tests as indicators of harmful influence of heavy metals on the food plants. In Jena, Germany, the parameters of root morphology and the quality of the food plants will be determined whilst the participants from the NIS and Austria will investigate anatomic parameters of plant roots.The plants used will be spinach, spinacia oleracea, corn, zea may, spring barley and hordeum vulgaris. The heavy metals to be analysed will be cadmium and lead and, more extensively, nickel, copper and zinc.There will be laboratory and greenhouse experiments, e.g. with the seedling test, container trials and field experiments. New methods for testing the presence of toxic effects of heavy metals based on their influence on growth and the morphological pattern of the root system will be developed in order to predict possible toxic influences of pollutants on vegetation, animals and human beings. These results will be published in the scientific journals Russian Journal of Plant Physiology, Plant and Soil, Angewandte Botanik and Environmental Pollution.Further expected results are the obtaining of more precise data on bioavailability of heavy metals in soils, and a new contribution to transfer mechanisms of Cd from soil to plants. In addition, the newly developed methods will be used to evaluate the risks of soil pollution with heavy metals in a large region of Thuringia (Germany). Some results will also be used for studies on bioavailability and transfer mechanisms of toxic metals. Programa(s) IC-INTAS - International Association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the independent states of the former Soviet Union (INTAS), 1993- Tema(s) 58 - Environmental Monitoring and Modelling Convocatoria de propuestas Data not available Régimen de financiación Data not available Coordinador Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Naumburger Straße 98 07743 Jena Alemania Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Participantes (3) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo Federal Research Institute for Agriculture in Alpine Regions Austria Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 8952 Irdning Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Russian Academy of Sciences Rusia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 127276 Moscow Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Russian Academy of Sciences Rusia Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 117907 Moscow Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos