In the present work the cytomorphological and physiological effects on three cardoon cultivars – Sardo, Siciliano, Spagnolo - grown in a metal-polluted soil, were investigated, to assess the traits concurring to the high tolerance to metal stress observed in cv. Spagnolo compared to the other two cultivars. The plants were grown for one month on a real polluted soil collected at a dismantling battery plant, highly enriched by heavy metals, especially Cd and Pb, and their leaves were analyzed by a multidisciplinary approach. TEM observations highlighted severe ultrastructural damage in Sardo and Siciliano, and preserved cytological traits in Spagnolo. Both pigment content and photochemistry indicated a decline in photosynthesis in Sardo and Sicilano and a substantial stability of the same parameters in Spagnolo. Protein analysis indicated a decrease in D1 level in all cultivars; in Spagnolo the D1 decrease was more pronounced and associated to a significant increase in Rubisco, a pattern likely preserving photosynthetic efficiency and high biomass production. In conclusion, Spagnolo cardoon was able to face metal stress through a prompt, multiple response balancing structural and functional traits.

在目前的工作中，研究了在金属污染土壤中生长的三个菜豆品种Sardo，Siciliano和Spagnolo的细胞形态学和生理学效应，以评估由于在简历中观察到的对金属胁迫的高耐受性而引起的性状。Spagnolo与其他两个品种相比。这些植物在拆解式电池厂收集的真实污染的土壤上生长了一个月，并富含重金属（尤其是Cd和Pb），并通过多学科方法对其叶片进行了分析。TEM观察结果表明，在Sardo和Siciliano中严重的超微结构损伤，在Spagnolo中保留了细胞学特征。色素含量和光化学都表明Sardo和Sicilano的光合作用下降，而Spagnolo中相同参数的稳定性很强。蛋白质分析表明，所有品种的D1水平均下降；在Spagnolo中，D1的减少更为明显，并且与Rubisco的显着增加有关，这种模式可能保持光合作用效率和高生物量生产。总之，Spagnolo菜豆能够通过快速，多重响应平衡结构和功能特征来面对金属压力。