EARLY RESPONSE OF WILLOW TO INCREASING SILVER CONCENTRATION EXPOSURE

This is a preliminary hydroponic study to test willow sensitivity to silver nitrate, a highly toxic chemical compound. We grew willow cuttings for a period of three weeks in the presence of increasing AgNO3 concentrations and assessed the response in terms of growth and physiology. We found that AgNO3 is generally extremely harmful to willow. AgNO3 concentration as high as 0.027 M may result in a significant reduction of biomass productivity and a decrease in stomatal conductance over the first week of exposure. However, willows seem able to adapt to high AgNO3 concentrations on a longer timeline.