The effect of phosphate deficiency on the kinetics of phosphate absorption by sterile excised barley roots,and some factors affecting the ion uptake efficiency of roots

Abstract

The influence of phosphate nutrition on the kinetics of phosphate absorption by sterile excised barley roots was examined. The roots of seedlings grown in dilute CaSO₄ showed uptake kinetics similar to roots grown in phosphate deficient nutrient culture. The absence of microorganisms did not abolish the dual form of the absorption isotherm at pH 4.0

The most important effect of phosphate deficiency for uptake at low phosphate concentration was a marked decrease in the apparent dissociation constant of the ion‐carrier complex postulated to be involved in the uptake process. The results are discussed in relation to kinetic factors which may influence the efficiency of ion uptake by roots of different species of plants, including the apparent dissociation constant, the rate constant for uptake and the concentration of the ion‐carrier system.     

Residues from bauxite‐mining (red mud) increase phosphorus retention of a joel sand without reducing yield of carrots

Abstract

Carrots were grown on a Joel sand amended with several levels of applied gypsum‐treated bauxite residue (RMG) up to 240 t‐ha^‐1, to test whether the residue reduces phosphorus (P) leaching when applied to the soil. Phosphorus sorption, measured using the Modified Phosphorus Retention Index (PRIM), was initially 30 at 2401 RMG ha^‐1 due to a combination of iron and aluminum oxides, calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), and soluble calcium (Ca). Four months after harvest, PRIM had decreased to 10 at 240 t RMG ha^‐1 (PRIM of 4 on unamended soil) due to the leaching of soluble Ca. Retention of fertilizer (P) (0–15 cm) at 160 kg P ha^‐1 increased from 34% on unamended soil to approximately 100% at 60 and 240 t RMG ha^‐1 one month after fertilizer application. Bicarbonate‐extractable P at harvest reached 60 to 65 mg‐kg^‐1 at 120 and 240 t RMG ha^‐1 when 346 kg P ha^‐1 was applied, whereas on unamended soil, levels did not exceed 30 mg‐kg^‐1, regardless of the level of applied fertilizer. Plant uptake of P was reduced due to the precipitation of calcium phosphate compounds, although final yield was unaffected possibly because of slow re‐release of P from precipitated calcium phosphate compounds. Red mud was difficult to wash off carrots grown on soil amended with 2401 RMG ha^‐1. The use of RMG may have a place in the management of horticultural crops in areas at risk from P pollution. However, more work is needed to investigate ‘aged’ RMG‐amended sites since the P retention in this experiment was affected by soluble Ca and also by post‐planting P applications.     

Competition for inorganic and organic N by blue oak (Quercus douglasii) seedlings, an annual grass, and soil microorganisms in a pot study

Sources of competition for limited soil resources, such as nitrogen (N), include competitive interactions among different plant species and between plants and soil microorganisms (microbes). To study these competitive interactions, blue oak seedlings (Quercus douglasii) were grown alone or grown together with an annual grass, wild oats (Avena barbata) in pots containing field soil. We injected ¹⁵N-labeled ammonium, nitrate or glycine into the soil of each pot and harvested plants 5 days later. Plant shoots and roots, soil microbial N and soil KCl-extractable N were analyzed for ¹⁵N content. When oak and grass were grown together, ¹⁵N recovery from the inorganic N treatments (NH₄⁺, or NO₃⁻) was 34, 9 and 4% for the grass, microbes and oak seedlings, respectively, and only 1% remained as KCl-extractable N. ¹⁵N recovery from the glycine treatment was 18, 22, 5% for the grass, microbes and oak seedlings, respectively, and 4% remained as KCl-extractable N. When oaks were grown alone, ¹⁵N recovery by soil microbes was 21, 48 and 40% in the NO₃⁻, NH₄⁺ and glycine treatments, respectively. N forms had no effects on ¹⁵N recovery in oak seedlings (7%) and in KCl-extractable N pool (13%). In general, total N recovery by the grass was much greater than by oaks. However, on a fine root surface area or length basis, oaks exhibited higher N uptake than the grass. Our results suggest that the high rooting density and rapid growth rate of the annual grasses such as Avena barbata made them superior competitors for available soil N when compared to blue oak seedlings and to microbes. Soil microbes were better competitors for organic than inorganic N when annual grasses were present, but preferred NH₄⁺ when competing only with oak seedlings.     

Effects of soil amendments on antimony uptake by wheat

Purpose

Environmental chemistry of antimony (Sb) is still largely unknown. Many questions remain about its availability to plants and effects of fertilizers on mobility of Sb in the rhizosphere soil. In this work, we focused on the following problems: (1) uptake of Sb by wheat seedlings grown in soil enriched with this metalloid and (2) impact of soil amendments on the plant growth, Sb uptake from soil, and its transfer from roots to upper plant parts.

Materials and methods

To obtain further information on the possible transfer of Sb into plants, greenhouse pot experiments were carried out. Soil was spiked with 15 mg kg^?1 of Sb and amended with either chicken manure or natural growth stimulator Energen. Wheat Triticum aestivum L. seedlings were grown in the soil during 17 days. Plants together with rhizosphere soil were collected several times in the course of the experiment. The ICP-OES and ICP-MS techniques were applied to determine the concentrations of macro- and trace elements in the plant and soil material.

Results and discussion

Growth of wheat seedlings in Sb-spiked soil resulted in Sb accumulation in roots and leaves of the plants. Energen and especially chicken manure were capable of stimulating transfer of Sb to more mobile and, as a consequence, more available to the plants form, thus enhancing both uptake of Sb from soil and its transfer from roots to upper plant parts. The accumulation of Sb by plants led to a decrease of Sb concentration in the rhizosphere soil with time, and the most significant decrease was observed after amendment of soil with fertilizers.

Conclusions

Fertilizers may be used to increase phytoextraction of Sb and its removal from contaminated soils. However, such an amendment of soil should be done with caution in order to exclude or at least reduce the negative effects on plants.     

The effect of soil lead sorption capacity on the uptake of lead by corn

Abstract

Lead uptake by four‐week‐old corn shoots grown in Fb‐amended soils was found to be dependent upon the level of Pb in the soil relative to the soil's capacity to sorb Pb. At a given level of added Pb, lead uptake by plants was found to decrease with an increase in soil pH, cation exchange capacity, and available phosphorus.     

Evaluation of the sensitivity of a 15N test for nitrogen deficiency in plants

Abstract

A test for nitrogen (N) deficiency in plants showed that rate of uptake of ¹⁵N by excised roots was inversely related to the amount of N supplied to the growing plant. Deficiency was successfully identified from the rate of uptake of ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺ from solution in a two hour period, and this was adopted in the early development of the method. In this study, modifications were tested in a sensitivity analysis, to compare ¹⁵NH₄ ⁺ and ¹⁵NO₃ ^? uptake for different times of immersion and with different washing treatments, to determine the most sensitive method. Common bentgrass (Agrostis capillaris L.), grown in sand culture at a range of N concentrations from deficient to optimum, was the test plant. Although uptake by roots from N deficient treatments was always significantly higher for both ammonium (NH₄) and nitrate (NO₃), the uptake of NH₄ was two to five times higher than that of NO₃. The rate of uptake of both ions was approximately linear over 20 mins, one hour, or two hours. Although a two hour period of immersion would be necessary in some cases to obtain sufficient ¹⁵N in the roots for analysis, it should therefore be possible to interpolate, for direct comparison of rates of uptake by different species, and also with results from similar phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) bioassays, where radioisotope uptake is measured over a shorter time (15 min). The results suggest that the method initially adopted was the most sensitive to identify N deficiency.     

Chemical Changes in Soil and Plants After Successive Amendments of Tunisian MSW Compost

A field study was carried out to evaluate long-term heavy metal (HM) accumulation in the top 20 cm of a Tunisian clayey loam soil amended for (four years) with municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) at three levels (0, 40 and 80 t ha^?1 year^?1). HM uptake and translocation within wheat plants grown on these soils were also investigated. Compared to untreated soils, MSWC-amended soils showed significant increases in the content of all measured HM (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the last three years, especially for the 80 t ha^?1 year^?1 MSWC-amended plots. Wheat plants grown on MSWC-amended soils showed a general increase in metal uptake and translocation, especially for Cr and Ni. This HM uptake was about three fold greater for treatment 80 t h^?1 as compared to plots amended at a rate of 40 t h^?1. At times, the diluting effect resulting from enhanced growth rates of the plants with compost application resulted in lower concentrations in the plants grown (grain part) on treated plots. On the other hand, Cr and Ni were less mobile in the aerial part of wheat plants and were accumulated essentially in root tissues. Plant/soil transfer coefficients for MSWC-amended treatments were higher than threshold range reported in the literature, indicating that there was an important load/transfer of HM ions from soils to wheat plants.     

Use of Ion exchange membranes in routine soil testing

Abstract

We developed and assessed a method for simultaneous extraction of plant available nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur and potassium using anion and cation exchange membranes (ACEM). The technique was found to be highly suitable for routine soil testing due to its simplicity, rapidness and accuracy. The study compared the amount of nutrients extracted by ACEM with conventional chemical‐based extractants for P and K (0.5M NaHCO₃) and N and S (0.001M CaCl₂) for 135 soil samples representing a wide range of soil types in Western Canada. The nutrient availability predicted by ACEM was significantly correlated with the conventional methods. The correlation was not affected by the two different shaking times tested (one hour and 15 minutes), suggesting that extraction times as short as 15 minutes could be used in ACEM extraction. To evaluate the relative ability of ACEM and the conventional tests to predict actual nutrient availability to plants, canola plants were grown on soils in the growth chamber and actual plant uptake was compared to test‐predicted nutrient availability. Phosphorus and potassium uptake by canola plants was more closely correlated with ACEM extractable P and K (r²= 0.84*** and 0.54***) than with 0.5M NaHCO₃ P and K (r²= 0.70*** and 0.37***). Also, nitrogen and sulfur uptake by canola plants was significantly correlated with ACEM extractable‐NO₃ and ‐SO₄ (r² = 0.60*** and 0.70***) and with CaCl₂ extractable‐NC₃ and ‐SO₄ (r² = 0.57*** and 0.61***). Availability of all four macronutrients can be assessed in a single ACEM extraction. The higher correlation with plant uptake suggests that ACEM is a better index of macronutrient availability than conventional methods. The ACEM soil test could be readily adopted in routine soil analysis because of low cost and simplicity as well as its consistency over a wide range of soil types.     

Phosphorus Uptake from Green Manures and Phosphate Fertilizers Applied in an Acid Tropical Soil

Abstract

Quantifying the relative contribution of different phosphorus (P) sources to P uptake can lead to greater understanding of the mechanisms that increase available P in integrated P management systems. The ³²P–³³P double isotope labeling technique was used to determine the relative contribution of green manures (GMs) and P fertilizers to P uptake by Setaria grass (Setaria sphacelata) grown in an amended tropical acid soil (Bungor series) in a glasshouse study. The amendments were factorial combinations of GMs (Calopogonium caeruleum, Gliricidia sepium and Imperata cylindrica) and P fertilizers [phosphate rocks (PRs) from North Carolina (NCPR), China (CPR) and Algeria (APR), and triple superphosphate (TSP)]. Dry matter yield, P uptake, and P utilization from the amendments were monitored at 4, 8, and 15 weeks after establishment (WAE). The GMs alone or in combination with P fertilizers contributed less than 5% to total P uptake in this soil, but total P uptake into Setaria plants in the GM treatments was three to four times that of the P fertilizers because the GMs mobilized more soil P. Also, the GMs markedly increased fertilizer P utilization in the combined treatments, from 3% to 39% with CPR, from 6–9% to 19–48% with reactive PRs, and from 6% to 37% with TSP in this soil. Both P_GM and the other decomposition products were probably involved in reducing soil P‐retention capacity. Mobilization of soil P was most likely the result of the action of the other decomposition products. These results demonstrate the high potential of integrating GMs and PRs for managing P in tropical soils and the importance of the soil P mobilization capacity of the organic components. Even the low‐quality Imperata GM enhanced the effectiveness of the reactive APR more than fourfold.     

Effects of annual grass senescence on NH4 and N-glycine uptake by blue oak (Quercus douglasii) seedlings and soil microorganisms in California oak woodland

Annual grasses are stronger competitors for available soil N than blue oak seedlings and soil microorganisms. However, little is known about the dynamics of N competition during annual grass senescence. We conducted a field experiment in a California oak woodland to study effects of annual grass senescence on N uptake by grasses, blue oak seedlings and soil microorganisms. Labeled N was applied at the beginning of April, May and of June in the form of ¹⁵NH₄⁺ or ¹⁵N-glycine. Plants and soils were harvested after 5 days (¹⁵NH₄⁺ and ¹⁵N-glycine treatments) and after 26 days (¹⁵NH₄⁺ treatment only). We evaluated effects of N form, season and labeling period on N competition among oak seedlings, annual grasses and soil microorganisms. N forms did not affect competition among grasses, oak seedlings and soil microorganisms, but more ¹⁵N was incorporated into the soil organic N pool in the ¹⁵N-glycine treatments than in the ¹⁵NH₄⁺ treatments. There were no seasonal (May vs June) effects on ¹⁵N recovery in blue oak seedlings and soil microorganisms. Plant samples from April harvest were lost. In June, when grasses were senescing, more ¹⁵N was found in the soil inorganic pool than in May. Extremely dry soils in June may have limited inorganic N availability to oak seedlings and soil microorganisms. After 26-day labeling period, ¹⁵N recovery in blue oak seedlings and the soil organic N pool significantly increased, while ¹⁵N recovery in both the soil microbial and inorganic N pools decreased compared to the 5-day labeling period. Although blue oak seedling biomass changed little from early May to late June, N concentrations in oak roots increased 53%. In contrast, annual grass biomass peaked in May, and then decreased rapidly. Our results suggest that blue oak seedlings and annual grasses have different temporal competitive abilities. Blue oak seedlings appear to have a long-term strategy for N competition. Blue oaks take up N slowly but steadily, increasing N uptake from 5 to 26 days. This extended time period has a greater positive effect on N uptake than does reduced grass uptake caused by senescence.     

Nitrogen transformation from three soil organic amendments in a sandy soil

Abstract

A sandy soil was amended with various rates (20 – 320 g air-dry weight basis of the amendments per kg of air-dry soil) of chicken manure (CM), sewage sludge (SS), and incinerated sewage sludge (ISS) and incubated for 100 days in a greenhouse at 15% (wt/wt) soil water content. At the beginning of incubation, NH₄-N concentrations varied from 50 – 280 mg kg^?1 in the CM amended soil with negligible amounts of NO₃-N. Subsequently, the concentration of NH₄-N decreased while that of NO₃-N increased rapidly. In soil amended with SS at 20 – 80 g kg^?1 rates, the NO₃-N concentration increased sharply during the first 20 days, followed by a slow rate of increase over the rest of the incubation period. However, at a 160 g kg^?1 SS rate, there were three distinct phases of NO₃-N release which lasted for160 days. In the ISS amended soil, the nitrification process was completed during the initial 30 days, and the concentrations of NH₄-N and NO₃-N were lower than those for the other treatments. The mineralized N across different rates accounted for 20 – 36%, 16 – 40%, and 26 – 50% of the total N applied as CM, SS, and ISS, respectively.     

Soil Moisture and Temperature Effects on Nitrogen Mineralization in a High Tunnel Farming System

ABSTRACT

Effects of temperature and moisture on nitrogen (N) mineralization from organic amendments in high tunnel farming systems are rarely studied to assist N fertilizer management for high N-demand crops with short cycles. In this study, soils from a new high tunnel site were incubated at four temperatures (2, 10, 20, & 30°C) and five gravimetric water contents (15, 20, 25, 30, & 35%) with and without a dried and ground alfalfa amendment. Net N mineralization was determined by measuring NH₄⁺-N and NO₃^–-N contents periodically over 84 days. Significant main effects of temperature and moisture were found (p < .0001) and tendencies of a significance of alfalfa amendment (p = .0855) and interaction between amendment and temperature (p = .0842) were observed. Only a significant increase of the net mineralized N at 30ºC in amended soil was observed compared to unamended soil (p = .0043). Estimated from the first-order exponential model, maximum potential mineralized N was 1.2 times greater while mineralization rate was up to 2.1 times greater in amended soil compare to un-amended soil. Q₁₀ estimated from the Arrhenius model ranged from 1.62 to 2.04 in the amended soil and 1.66 to1.85 in the un-amended soil. The average optimal soil water content for maximum N mineralization estimated from the Gaussian function model was 33.8% in amended soil and 35.9% in un-amended soil. The results from this study can be used to suggest soil moisture and temperature management strategies to control N availability in high tunnel systems.     

Foliar uptake of volatilized ammonia from surface‐applied urea by spring wheat

Abstract

Large volatile losses of NH₃ can occur from surface‐applied urea in semi‐arid areas. Our objective was to determine possible absorption of this volatilized N by the crop canopy under field conditions. At two different times during crop growth, ¹⁵N‐enriched urea was surface‐applied at rates equivalent to 100 kg N ha^‐1 to soil contained in trays placed between two rows of spring wheat. Seven days after application, the soil in the trays was removed from the field and analyzed for ¹⁵N content. Addition of HC1 during soil air drying was necessary to prevent volatile losses of ¹⁵N. Of applied urea‐N, 13% was volatilized over seven days at both application times. Of the urea‐N that was volatilized, 15% was absorbed by wheat at the first application time and 7% was absorbed by wheat at the second application time. Plant absorption of urea N (Y, mg) declined with distance from the source (x, cm) following the equation Y=10.95*10^(‐0.0142x). About 90% of absorbed N was within the first three wheat rows. Our findings suggest that a significant portion of ammonia volatilized from top‐dressed urea might be captured by plant foliage.     

Improvement of wheat and maize crops by inoculating Aspergillus spp. in alkaline soil fertilized with rock phosphate

Aspergillus tubingensis and A. niger were isolated from the landfills of rock phosphate mines and tested for their efficacy to solubilize rock phosphate (RP), and improve plant growth and phosphate (P) uptake by plants grown in soil amended with RP. The results showed that they effectively solubilized RP in Pikovskaya's (PKV) liquid medium and released significantly higher amounts of P into the medium. A. tubingensis solubilized and released 380.8 μg P mL^?1, A. niger showed better efficiency and produced 403.8 μg P mL^?1. Field experiments with two consecutive crops in alkaline agricultural soil showed that inoculation of these fungi along with RP fertilization significantly increased yield and nutrient uptake of wheat and maize plants compared with control soil. P uptake by wheat and maize plants and the available P increased significantly in the RP-amended soil inoculated with fungi compared with control. These results suggest that the fertilizer value of RP can be increased, especially in alkaline soils, by inoculating P-solubilizing fungi.     

Uptake of lead by coen from roadside soil samples

Abstract

The uptake of Pb by young, greenhouse grown corn plants from roadside soil samples was found to be not only dependent upon the total amount of Pb in the soil, but also upon the amount of Pb in the soil relative to the soils capacity to sorb Pb. This is in agreement with the uptake of Pb by corn grown on soils amended with PbCl₂, although plant accumulation of Pb from roadside soils was much less than from PbCl₂ amended soils at comparable Pb concentrations. The use of crushed limestone as a road building material which results in high soil pH values next to the roadside is probably responsible for the reduced plant availability of Pb in the roadside soils.     

Zinc,copper, and nickel availabilities as determined by soil solution and DTPA extraction of a sludge‐amended soil

Abstract

Extracting sludge‐amended soil with DTPA does not always give a reliable measure of plant‐available heavy metals. The major purpose of this greenhouse pot study was to help explain why. Two anaerobically digested sludges from sewages treated with either Ca(OH)₂or FeCl₃were applied to 3‐kg samples of a Mollic Albaqualf previously limed with Ca(OH)₂rates of 0, 2.5, and 10g/pot that resulted in pHs in the check pots of 5.4, 6.2, or 7.7 after the first harvest. Sludge rates provided 0, 200, 40, 800, and 1600 mg Zn kg^‐1of soil. Two consecutive crops of soybeans (Glycine MaxL.) were grown for 42 d each in the greenhouse. DTPA‐extractable, soil‐solution, and plant concentrations of Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Zn²⁺were measured.

Dry matter yields were depressed due to salt toxicity, while DTPA‐extracted Cu²⁺correlated with plant uptake of Cu²⁺for both sludges. DTPA‐extracted Ni²⁺also correlated with plant Ni²⁺from the Ca(OH)₂‐sludge‐amended soil, although DTPA‐extracted Ni²⁺did not correlate with plant uptake of Ni²⁺from the FeCl₃‐sludge‐amended soil, DTPA‐extracted Zn did not correlate with plant uptake of Zn²⁺from any sludge‐amended soil. Soil‐solution composition correlated with plant uptake of Cu²⁺and Ni²⁺in both sludges; it also correlated with plant uptake of Zn²⁺from FeCl₃‐sludge‐amended soil but not from Ca(OH)₂‐sludge‐amended soil. DTPA extraction probably failed with Ni²⁺and Zn²⁺because of (i) its ineffectiveness at low pH, (ii) the inability of DTPA to buffer each soil extract near pH 7.3, and (iii) increased amounts of soluble chelated micronutrients at higher sludge rates and higher soil pHs. Soil‐solution composition seemed to fail only where micronutrient cations in solution probably were present largely as organic chelates     

Nitrogen availability to citrus seedlings from urea and from mineralization of citrus leaf or compost

A pot experiment was conducted using a Candler fine sand (hyperthermic, uncoated, Typic Quartzipsamments) amended with either citrus leaves or compost, to measure the nitrogen (N) mineralization and its availability to two citrus rootstock seedlings. A rapid increase in NH₄‐N concentration was evident in the soil amended with citrus leaves as compared to compost during the initial 14 to 20 d. Subsequently, the concentration of NH₄‐N decreased in the citrus leaves amended soil. The extractable NO₃‐N concentration was greater in the soil amended with citrus leaves as compared to compost, throughout the 270 d duration of the study. The N concentrations and N uptake by Cleopatra mandarin (CM) and Swingle citrumelo (SC) seedlings grown in citrus leaf amended soil were very similar to those in urea amended soil. Therefore, mineralization of N from dry ground citrus leaves was quite rapid. The N concentrations in both rootstock seedlings were much lower in the compost amended and unamended soils as compared to those in either citrus leaves or urea amended soils. Rapid mineralization of N from cirrus leaves added to sandy soil, resulting in an increased availability of N, suggested that the contribution of N from shed leaf mineralization must be considered while developing N rate recommendations for improving N use efficiency.     

Carbon distribution and variations in nitrogen-uptake between catch crop species in pot experiments

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) are seen as suitable catch crops species in Sweden. Pot experiments were conducted to study C distribution and variations in nitrogen uptake between several varieties of chicory and perennial ryegrass for comparison.A soil amended with Ca(¹⁵NO₃) (109 and 145 mg N kg⁻¹ soil) and glucose (2.5 g C kg⁻¹ soil) was incubated for 10 days to promote the immobilization of added ¹⁵N; therefore, N was supplied to plants through the remineralization of the immobilized ¹⁵N. In experiment 1 four varieties of chicory and one variety of perennial ryegrass were grown for 60 days in greenhouse conditions. In experiment 2, only two varieties of chicory and one ryegrass were grown in soil with high-N rate of fertilization. In the later experiment, pots were moved from greenhouse to a growth chamber with ¹⁴CO₂ atmosphere for a pulse labelling of the plants 7–10 days before harvest.At both levels of N supply, dry weights of taproots were higher in the chicory cultivars Cassel and Fredonia than in cultivars Puna and Salsa. The opposite was found for dry weights of small roots. There were significant differences in N uptake between chicory varieties. Cassel and Fredonia together with the ryegrass were significantly more effective in securing nitrate than the other two varieties. Significantly higher amounts of labelled-N were found in taproots of Cassel than in Puna. The opposite trend was found for small roots. Similar results were measured for amounts of radioactivity (kBq pot⁻¹) of newly fixed C transferred to roots. Amounts of labelled-N measured in soil residues for both crop species were significantly higher at the low level of N supply than at the high level of N. There was no significant increase in plant uptake of soil-N (native-N) either between chicory varieties or between chicory and ryegrass, when the high level of N was supplied.The importance of these results is discussed in relation to the suitability of chicory species as catch crop and as plant material for breeding.     

Some interactions of cadmium with other elements in plants

Abstract

Cadmium in solution culture at 10^‐4 M decreased Mn concentrations in bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. C.V. Improved Tendergreen) at both low and high concentrations of Mn (noncompetitive inhibition). When Mn was decreased, the concentrations of Fe and several other ions were simultaneously increased, particularly in leaves and roots. Toxicity due to the 10^‐6 M Cd and the 10^‐4 M Mn was additive in the experiment. When barley (Hordeum vulgare L. Atlas57)was grown in amended soil, 15μg Fe as DTPA (diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid) per g soil resulted in increased uptake of Cd and in somewhat greater yield depression for soil pH of 3.9, 6. 0, and 7.6. Acidification of soil without DTPA also increased Cd uptake to high levels with associated yield decrease. The Cd decreased the uptake of Mn and Cu most when CaCO₃ had also been added to the soil. When salts were added to soil with Cd before bush beans were grown, KCl (200 μg K/g soil), and equivalent KH₂PO₄ increased Cd concentrations of leaves while CaSO₄ and KCl did so for roots. In bush beans with different levels of Cd and Zn, there were no yield interactions, but some interactions of Cd on Zn concentrations in leaves, stems, and roots at the high Zn level.     

Organic Matter Influence in Cadmium Uptake by Sorghum

Abstract

The influence of soil organic matter (OM) in the uptake of cadmium (Cd) by Sorghum will be studied in order to get a better knowledge in the yield and understanding of detoxification mechanisms of soils. Plants were grown for 60 days in a greenhouse pot experiment using a contaminated soil with 4.5 and 35 mg Cd kg^?1, in absence and presence of OM. An Irish peat moss (70 g kg^?1 of soil) was added as OM. In the presence of OM the biomass production of root and shoot was increased with a positive correlation between biomass increment and contamination level. For experiments with 35 mg Cd kg^?1 of soil the biomass production was increased of about 7 times in the presence (vs. absence) of OM. Although the presence of OM had decreased Cd root concentration by decreasing Cd bioavailability in soil, the increase of biomass in presence of OM led to an increase of about 3 times on the Cd amount in shoot, result that can be important in soil phytoremediation.