Phytoremediation of soil contaminated with zinc and lead by using Zea mays L.

This study was carried out to investigate the potential of Corn (Zea mays) for phytoremediation of soil contaminated with lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn). The Zea mays L. cv. Giza 2, Hordeum vulgare cv. Giza 123 and Lupinus termis cv. Giza 1 species were planted in poted soil contaminated with lead and zinc. Zea mays was also cultivated with Hordeum and Lupinus treated with lead and zinc. The results showed that growth decreased by (16.7, 48.63 and 23.56%), photosynthetic pigments decreased by (10.18, 22.38 and 10.9%) and total-N decreased by (30.0, 27.27 and 13.64%) in Zea, Hordeum and Lupinus, respectively as compared to control. Proteins profile in shoots of tested plants revealed qualitative and quantitative changes. Co-cultivated Zea with Hordeum and Lupinus treated with lead and zinc improvement all parameters. The evidences provided by this experiment indicated that Corn acts as an effective accumulator to zinc and lead.

Impact of Irrigation Intervals on the Yield and Quality of Lupine (Lupinus termis L.) Grown in Sandy Soil Amended by an Organic Amendment

Aims: Two field experiments have been carried out to study the effect of different irrigation periods in the presence of compost as an organic amendment on the yield and quality of lupine (Lupinus termis L.) under the sandy soil conditions. Study Design: Split-plot design. Place and Duration of Study: The successive winter seasons of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 at the Ismailia Agricultural Research Station, (30°35'30" N 32°14'50" E elevation 3 m), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Egypt. Methodology: Compost has been applied at the rates of 11.90, 23.81 and 35.71 ton/ha before planting. Three irrigation intervals were assigned after planting by 3, 6, and 9 days; the applied water volume for each was 4761.91 m3/ha. Results: After harvesting, some parameters were estimated. As the compost rates increased, the soil EC significantly decreased while the available N, P, K, and Fe were significantly increased by 9.51, 12.79, 5.17, and 5.8%, respectively. For same compost rate, the irrigation intervals (3, 6, and 9 days) significantly decreased the available N relatively by 2.88, 5.16, and 6.96%, respectively and the available K by 3.45, 5.06, and 4.37%, respectively. The 6 days interval showed that most significant increase in the seeds' content of nutrients at different compost rates and the seed yield has increased by 19.59, 22.31, and 21.88% for the compost rates of 11.90, 23.81, and 35.71 ton/ha, respectively. The relative increase was by 20.48, 7.63, 4.49, 10.89, and 14.92% for the crude protein, crude lipids, total ash, TSS and the amino acids, respectively. The effect of treatments on the relative shoot moisture (%) and the field water use efficiency (F.W.U.E.) (kg/m3) was discussed. Conclusion: The 6 days irrigation interval along with a compost application rate of 23.81 ton/ha can be recommended for lupine grown in sandy soil as they showed the most significant increase in the nutrients content of seeds by 22.31%.