scholarly journals Harnessing Endophytic Fungi for Enhancing Growth, Tolerance and Quality of Rose-Scented Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens (L’Hér) Thunb.) Plants under Cadmium Stress: A Biochemical Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 1039
Author(s):  
Nadia Mohamed El-Shafey ◽  
Marym A. Marzouk ◽  
Manal M. Yasser ◽  
Salwa A. Shaban ◽  
Gerrit T.S. Beemster ◽  
...  

Heavy metal contamination in soil is increasing rapidly due to increasing anthropogenic activities. Despite the importance of rose-scented geranium as a medicinal plant, little attention was paid to enhancing its productivity in heavy metal-polluted soil. In this regard, endophytes improve plant resistance to heavy metal toxicity and enhance its tissue quality. Here, the impact of the three endophytic fungi Talaromyces versatilis (E6651), Emericella nidulans (E6658), and Aspergillus niger (E6657) on geranium growth, tolerance, and tissue quality under cadmium (Cd) stress was investigated. In contrast to E. nidulans, T. versatilis and A. niger enhanced geranium growth and the stimulatory effect was more pronounced under Cd-stress. The three endophytes significantly alleviated Cd accumulation and increased mineral content in geranium leaves. In addition, endophytic fungi successfully alleviated Cd-induced membrane damage and reinforced the antioxidant defenses in geranium leaves. Inoculation with endophytes stimulated all the antioxidant enzymes under Cd-stress, and the response was more obvious in the case of T. versatilis and A. niger. To reduce the toxicity of tissue-Cd levels, T. versatilis and A. niger upregulated the detoxification mechanisms; glutathione-S-transferase, phytochelatin, and metallothionein levels. Moreover, endophytic fungi improved the medicinal value and quality of geranium by increasing total antioxidant capacity (TAC), phenolic compound biosynthesis (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), and vitamin content as well as the quantity and quality of essential oil, particularly under Cd-stress conditions. The variation in the mechanisms modulated by the different endophytic fungi was supported by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Overall, this study provided fundamental insights into endophytes’ impact as a feasible strategy to mitigate the phytotoxicity hazards of Cd-stress in geranium and enhance its quality, based on the growth and biochemical investigations.

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 2163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwa Ismael ◽  
Ali Elyamine ◽  
Yuan Zhao ◽  
Mohamed Moussa ◽  
Muhammad Rana ◽  
...  

Cadmium (Cd) is highly toxic, even at very low concentrations, to both animals and plants. Pollen is extremely sensitive to heavy metal pollutants; however, less attention has been paid to the protection of this vital part under heavy metal stress. A pot experiment was designed to investigate the effect of foliar application of Se (1 mg/L) and Mo (0.3 mg/L) either alone or in combination on their absorption, translocation, and their impact on Cd uptake and its further distribution in Brassica napus, as well as the impact of these fertilizers on the pollen grains morphology, viability, and germination rate in B. napus under Cd stress. Foliar application of either Se or Mo could counteract Cd toxicity and increase the plant biomass, while combined application of Se and Mo solutions on B. napus has no significant promotional effect on plant root and stem, but reduces the seeds’ weight by 10–11%. Se and Mo have decreased the accumulated Cd in seeds by 6.8% and 9.7%, respectively. Microscopic studies, SEM, and pollen viability tests demonstrated that pollen grains could be negatively affected by Cd, thus disturbing the plant fertility. Se and Mo foliar application could reduce the toxic symptoms in pollen grains when the one or the other was sprayed alone on plants. In an in vitro pollen germination test, 500 μM Cd stress could strongly inhibit the pollen germination rate to less than 2.5%, however, when Se (10 μM) or Mo (1.0 μM) was added to the germination medium, the rate increased, reaching 66.2% and 39.4%, respectively. At the molecular level, Se and Mo could greatly affect the expression levels of some genes related to Cd uptake by roots (IRT1), Cd transport (HMA2 and HMA4), Cd sequestration in plant vacuoles (HMA3), and the final Cd distribution in plant tissue at the physiological level (PCS1).


2018 ◽  

<p>The objective of the study is to determine accumulation and translocation of heavy metals from soil to paddy straw irrigated with urban sewage wastewater in peri-urban region of Girudhumal subbasin area in Madurai. The soil samples were collected in seven locations irrigated with treated and untreated wastewater and analyzed for physical properties like pH, EC, bulk density, soil type, major (N,P,K) and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) and heavy metals Ni, Cd, Pb. SEM analysis showed that soil structure is significantly influenced by wastewater irrigation. It confirms that the wastewater irrigation disturbs soil structure and affecting the plant growth in long run.&nbsp; Pb content was higher than the prescribed safe limits in S5 and S6 location, similarly, Ni also was higher than the safe limit in all the locations. Pollution Load Index values are in the range of 0.08-0.56 for all sites, and it indicated that chance of heavy metal contamination is less. The EF values show moderate enrichment to Ni and Zn, Significant enrichment for Cd and Cu, Extremely high for Pb and deficiency for Mn. All these results confirmed that there is no immediate risk of heavy metal pollution, however with respect to Pb and Ni the plant tissues are showing higher values. The transfer factor for heavy metals from soil to paddy straw is less than 0.5 for Cd and for others is more than 0.5 indicated greater chances for heavy metal contamination.</p>


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunjan Bisht ◽  
Sanjila Neupane

The study was conducted to evaluate soil quality and impact of brick kiln on different physicochemical parameters of soils of agricultural field, located in the vicinity of Bhaktapur, Nepal. The study was carried out by determining the physicochemical characteristics of soil, soil fertility, and heavy metal contamination of soil. During the entire study period, water absorptivity of soil ranged from 2.4 to 3.3 mg/L, pH varies from 5.885 to 7.64, and organic carbon content and organic matter varied from 0.277 to 0.93%, from 0.477% to 1.603%, respectively. Nutrient content, that is, sulfate and nitrate concentration, in the soil ranged from 0.829 to 3.764 mol/L and from 0.984 to 29.99 mol/L, respectively. The findings revealed that concentrations of heavy metals (chromium and lead) were within permissible limit, although the levels were higher in soil at 50 m and decrease farther from brick kiln. However, the physical parameters and nutrient content were deficient in soil at 50 m while increasing gradually at distances of 100 m and 150 m. The variation of result obtained for physical parameters supports the fact that quality of soil in terms of heavy metal content and nutrient content was directly proportional to the distance from the kiln; that is, the quality of soil increased with increasing distance.


2012 ◽  
Vol 518-523 ◽  
pp. 444-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Wang ◽  
Wei Xuan Fang

According to the primary study on the As contamination in soil and crops including potato and pea in tin tailings in Gejiu area, Yunnan Province, it has been found that concentrations of As in rhizosphere far exceed Chinese National Grade Ⅲ standard of soil environmental quality of China (GB 15618-1995). It also has been found that the Ferns were living in the tin tailings suffered from the contamination of heavy metals. Compared with the limit of national criteria for food sanitation in China, the concentrations of As in edible parts of ferns are 90 times. Therefore, the remediation of soil based on geochemical distribution characteristics of heavy metal in the tailings is demanded. And avoiding crops-planting in the tailings to reduce the diffusion of heavy metal contamination in food chain of mining area is necessary.


Author(s):  
Nabil al Baraquoni ◽  
Samir R. Qouta ◽  
Mervi Vänskä ◽  
Safwat Y. Diab ◽  
Raija-Leena Punamäki ◽  
...  

Toxicant, teratogen and carcinogen metal war remnants negatively affect human health. The current study analyzes, first, the persistence of heavy metal contamination in newborn hair in four cohorts across time in Gaza Palestine; second, the change in mothers’ and infants’ heavy metal contamination from birth to toddlerhood; and third, the impact of heavy metal contamination on infants’ and toddlers’ growth and development. The hair of newborns was analyzed for twelve heavy metals by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP/MS) in cohorts recruited at delivery in 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2018–2019. In the 2015 cohort, mothers’ hair samples were taken at delivery, and toddlers and mothers hair were also analyzed 18 months later. Growth levels of infants at six months and toddlers at 18 months were assessed according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards according to a mother report and pediatric check-up, respectively. 1. The level of metal contamination in utero was persistently high across 8 years, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019, following three major military attacks (2009, 2012, 2014). 2. The 2015 cohort babies exposed in utero to attacks in 2014 at six months showed association of high load at birth in mother of arsenic and in newborn of barium with underweight, of barium and molybdenum in newborn with stunting. 3. Eighteen months after birth, toddlers had a higher level of metals in hairs than when they were born, while, in their mothers, such levels were similar to those at delivery, confirming persistence in the environment of war remnants. Underweight and stunting, both in infants and toddlers, were higher than reported for previous years, as well as being progressive within the cohort. Severe environmental factors, metal contamination and food insecurity put Gaza’s infant health at risk.


Author(s):  
Sukirtee Chejara ◽  
Paras Kamboj ◽  
Y. V. Singh ◽  
Vikas Tandon

Heavy metal contamination has gained popularity worldwide due to their persistent nature in the environment, on the top of that non-biodegradable nature makes its accumulation easy to toxic levels. Understanding the nature of contamination has become a major concern before heavy metals deteriorate the quality of soil; to diagnose heavy metal pollution suitable indices are required. Microbial indices gaining importance because of their sensitive nature towards change in surrounding, which is the imperative quality required to select microbes as environmental indicators. Albeit enough literature is present related to this topic but the information is scattered so role of this chapter is imperative. The chapter will be helpful for the reader to provide a thorough understanding of merits and demerits of microbiological indices for heavy metal contaminated and restituted soils. The changes in microbiological indices and their mechanism of response towards heavy metal stress are effectively summarized. Research gap and future needs of microbial diagnosis of heavy metal contaminated soils are discussed.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 2245
Author(s):  
Manal A. Alnaimy ◽  
Sahar A. Shahin ◽  
Zuzana Vranayova ◽  
Martina Zelenakova ◽  
Enas Mohamed Wagdi Abdel-Hamed

There is consensus on the impact of wastewater irrigation on soil properties and heavy metal accumulation. The studies that show the impact of temporal changes as a result of different long-term additions of wastewater on the heavy metal accumulation and degradation of soil are extremely limited. This study was carried out to assess heavy metal contamination in soils irrigated with wastewater for more than 30 years in Egypt. A total number of 12 irrigation water samples and 12 soil profiles were collected during 2020 and were chemically characterized. The results showed that soils irrigated with wastewater over the long term contained significantly higher concentrations of heavy metals compared to fields irrigated with fresh water. Heavy metal levels in water and soil samples were within the permissible limits, with the exception of Cd concentration in water (0.03 mg L−1). Continuous cultivation for a long period of time (30 years) using raw urban wastewater application has led to the adverse effect of increasingly available Pb concentration (5.44 mg kg−1). Similar temporal behavior was seen for Cd and Fe, which increased by 0.98 and 11.2 mg kg−1, respectively, after 30 years. The heavy metals in wastewater-irrigated soils significantly increased in clayey soils, as compared to sandy soils irrigated from the same source. Our findings provide important information for decision makers in Egypt and similar countries for the development of a strategy for the use of wastewater in irrigation for sustainable agricultural management.


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