Effects of Cadmium and Lead on Plant Growth and Content of Heavy Metals in Arugula Cultivated in Nutritive Solution

A greenhouse assay using an arugula (Eruca sativa L.) hydroponics system was carried out to evaluate the following effects of increasing amounts of cadmium and lead in nutritive solution: (a) production; (b) translocation of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) throughout the plants; (c) possible interactions of Cd and Pb with other mineral elements, transition metals, essential to plants; (d) tolerance limits to Cd and Pb with regard to production; and (e) chelating interaction of Cd and Pb with root substances. The absorption of Cd and Pb increased with increasing dosages in solution. Roots accumulated larger amounts of metals than shoots. Plants develop better with less than 0.025 mg L^?1 of Cd, with a damaging Cd concentration of 1 mg L^?1. The tolerable Pb concentration was up to 10 mg L^?1. Cadmium and Pb translocate poorly in plants and their deleterious effect is due to the deposit of very stable chelates in roots.     

Contributing traits for nitrogen use efficiency in selected wheat genotypes and corollary between screening methodologies

ABSTRACT

Nitrogen uptake being part of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is largely decided by root traits. Root traits variability has hardly been explored by breeders mainly because of difficulties in scoring. The hydroponic system requiring lesser space for precise phenotyping of large numbers of genotypes independently of the growing season can be a suitable alternative. However, the effectiveness of hydroponic screening methods needs to be verified under the soil condition of the field or pot. In the present study, root traits and NUE were investigated in 19 genotypes under two conditions (hydroponic and pipe filled with soil). Both environments revealed large variability for root traits and NUE under high and low N conditions establishing the absence of any direct selection for these traits in the past. Under both sets of experimentation, NUpE was largely responsible for improved nitrogen efficiency mainly because of higher root biomass. The significant association between the two screening methods i.e. hydroponic and pot filled with soil under both low and high N condition support large scale screening for root traits under hydroponic condition.     

Susceptibility of Commercial Tomato Cultivars to Bacterial Wilt in Hydroponic System

Commercially available tomato cultivars were hydroponically cultured for inoculation, with Ralstonia solanacearum (K-101), which causes bacterial wilt, by pouring an inoculum suspension into the nutrient solution. Cultivar susceptibility to the bacteria was evaluated, based on the highest percentage of wilting. Because the length of time for wilt appearance varied among cultivars, some cultivars appeared to be suppressive to the translocation and/or multiplication of the invading pathogen. Thus, this hydroponic inoculation system is effective for examining levels of susceptibility in tomato cultivars to bacterial wilt. Received 13 December 2000/ Accepted in revised form 27 March 2001     

Inoculation of cucumber roots with zoospores of mycoparasitic and plant pathogenic Pythium species: Differential zoospore accumulation, colonization ability and plant growth response

Hydroponically grown cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seedlings were inoculated with zoospores of 1 mycoparasitic (Pythium oligandrum) and 2 pathogenic (Pythium aphanidermatum and Pythium group F) Pythium spp. During the first 2 days after inoculation, all the Pythium spp. caused reduction in the root length. However, roots treated with Pythium oligandrum quickly reached the length of the control and on the 8th day, and for the rest of the experimental period, stimulation of root elongation was noted. Pythium oligandrum was not pathogenic on cucumber and no differences in the fresh weights of control and Pythium oligandrum inoculated plants were observed in the course of the experiment. Pythium group F and Pythium aphanidermatum were pathogenic on cucumber seedlings, but their pathogenicities differed. Thus, while Pythium group F had a constant, negative influence on root length and plant growth, measured as fresh weight, Pythium aphanidermatum caused generalized necroses of the root system, inhibiting consistently root elongation and plant growth and finally causing plant death. Moreover, the zoospores of 2 mycoparasitic species, Pythium oligandrum and Pythium periplocum, were not attracted to roots of cucumber and accumulated on the roots in very low numbers compared to those of the pathogenic species, Pythium aphanidermatum, which were strongly attracted and accumulated in large numbers. Finally, it was also found that Pythium oligandrum colonized the roots very poorly, while Pythium group F and Pythium aphanidermatum were significantly better root colonizers. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the ecology of Pythium species and biocontrol.     

番茄茎秆浸提液对番茄生长和风味品质的影响

为探究番茄茎秆资源化应用技术及效果,本研究利用番茄茎杆有氧发酵浸提液(EX1)和番茄茎杆厌氧发酵浸提液(EX2)水培番茄,以山崎营养液处理为对照(CK),对番茄植株的生长形态、果实营养品质和挥发性物质等相关指标进行分析。结果表明:1)EX1和EX2处理的株高、茎粗、叶面积和生物量等指标低于CK处理,但番茄果实可溶性固形物、糖酸比、可溶性蛋白和维生素C等指标均优于CK处理,并以EX2处理表现最佳;2)EX1、EX2和CK处理检测到挥发性物质数量依次是39、34和27种;3)EX1、EX2和CK处理的挥发性物质总含量依次是1 403.35、1 931.10和1 368.40μg/kg;4)EX1、EX2和CK处理的番茄特征挥发性物质总量依次是953.82、1 256.60和1 055.06μg/kg。说明单纯使用番茄茎杆浸提液水培番茄,虽然在生长上稍显弱势,但可显著改善果实营养和风味品质。本研究一定程度上使番茄茎秆得到了有效利用,也为其他蔬菜茎秆资源化技术提供理论参考,具有较为广阔的前景。     

闭合循环水产养殖-植物水栽培综合生产系统的工艺设计及运行效果

闭合循环水产养殖-植物水栽培综合生产系统主要由鱼类养殖池、蔬菜和花卉水培渠、循环水处理系统构成,是一种新型"养殖-种植-水质净化"生产模式。在上海市青浦区的实践表明:①单位水体红罗非鱼(Tilapiamossambica(♀)×Tilapianilotica(♂))和暗纹东方(Fuguobscurus)的产量分别达到58kg·m-3和12.28kg·m-3,养殖期间,氨氮浓度<1.5mg·L-1,亚硝氮浓度<0.8mg·L-1,DO>5.0mg·L-1;②水栽培蔬菜生长良好,对氨氮、亚硝氮、硝氮、总氮、磷酸盐和COD的最大去除率分别为57.46%、51.72%、3.7%、10.67%、9.72%和21.78%,水培蔬菜渠进水和出水的平均N/P分别为6.60∶1和6.53∶1;③生物过滤器对流经水体的NH 4 N、NO-2 N、COD一次性去除率分别为44.79%、20.31%、20.10%;④泡沫分离—臭氧消毒装置对养殖水体中异养细菌的去除率为93.58%,NH 4 N、NO-2 N的去除率为39.00%、38.10%,能明显提高水体中的pH和DO。     

Androgenetic response of heterozygous triticale populations using a greenhouse hydroponic system

Production of haploids, followed by chromosome doubling to produce doubled haploids (DH) represents the most rapid means of achieving complete inbreeding. In order to improve the androgenetic responses and maximize the production of green regenerants from selected plants of twenty-five triticale (× Triticosecale, Wittmack) populations (BC₁F₁, TC₁F₁, and F₂) we used a uniform and optimal growth environment for anther donor plants within a greenhouse hydroponic system. Non-orthogonal analysis of deviance showed highly significant differences (p < 0.001) among populations for both induction and regeneration. The overall induction response of the populations was very high with a mean of 50.4 embryoids per 100 anthers plated. Among all tested-populations, M86-6068/TW179//EP80 (TC₁F₁) was the most responsive for both induction and regeneration which could be associated to its Triticum timopheevii cytoplasm. On the other hand, although populations 80465/II83-194 both as BC₁F₁ and F₂ had a high level of induction response, only a few green plants were regenerated. These populations probably possess a partial Secale montanum genome, which could be contributing to the low regeneration ability. In conclusion, the need for optimization of donor plant growth conditions to effectively assess the androgenetic ability of individual populations/lines would be emphasized. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Aluminium tolerance in wheat: correlating hydroponic evaluations with field and soil performances*

The objective of this study was to correlate root length of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes grown in Al-containing, acidic hydroponic solutions, with root weights from acid-soil experiments and field scores from Brazilian acid-field trials. A total of 43 wheat genotypes, primarily from Brazil, were evaluated by growing seedlings for 4 days in hydroponic solutions containing 0.0–4.0 mg/l Al. The root growth rate of all the genotypes was reduced with the addition of Al to the solution and the Al-sensitive and Al-tolerant wheat genotypes were clearly identified. Genotypes with intermediate Al-tolerance levels showed variable root lengths in response to Al stress. Correlations between root length or a root tolerance index (RTI) in the Al solutions versus acid-soil experiments and acid-field trials were highly significant (r = 0.71–0.85, P < 0.01). The most significant correlation was observed among seedlings grown in 1 mg/1 Al. This study presents evidence that this short duration and simple screening technique provides a highly significant correlation with previous acid-soil Al-tolerance evaluations. Furthermore, the data obtained suggest that hydroponic screening of wheat seedlings for Al tolerance may be used in breeding programmes or in screening germplasm collections.     

The effect of colchicine on triticale anther-derived plants: Microspore pre-treatment and haploid-plant treatment using a hydroponic recovery system

In cereals, chromosome doubling of microspore-derived haploid plants is a critical step in producing doubled haploid plants. This investigation was undertaken to study the effect of incorporation of colchicine in the induction medium for anther culture, and the effect of colchicine on anther culture-derived plants of triticale grown under controlled greenhouse conditions. In the latter case, chromosome doubling of adult sterile plants derived from anther culture of fourteen triticale populations was attempted, where androgenetic plants with non-dehiscent anthers were cloned and subjected to the colchicine treatment, and then grown with the aid of hydroponics. The hydroponic system provided optimal conditions for recovery of the affected haploids from the toxic effects of colchicine treatment and all colchicine-treated plants survived. A topcross-F₁ (TC₁F₁) population with timopheevii cytoplasm produced the highest percentage of plants with seed-set either due to chromosome doubling by colchicine (98%) or spontaneous doubling of chromosome number (15%). Colchicine-treated anthers performed inferior than control in both induction and regeneration phases. One of the key observation of this study was the reversal from reproductive stage back to the vegetative stage which in turn enabled further cloning of haploid plants under hydroponic conditions once they were identified as sterile. The one hundred percent survival rate of in vitro-derived plants, 100% survival rate of colchicine treated haploid plants and the high chromosome doubling success rate (X = 82.3) observed in this study imply that a temperature-controlled greenhouse with an hydroponic system provides an efficient environment for inducing chromosome doubling of haploid plants in cereals. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of Coconut Husk and Sphagnum Moss-Based Media on Growth and Yield of Romaine and Buttercrunch Lettuce (Lactuca Sativa) in a Non-Circulating Hydroponics System

A comparison was made to investigate the effects of two potting methods: coconut husk/ sphagnum moss and a plastic forestry tube with a peat-based medium (Sunshine® mix #1, Sungro Horticulture, Agawam, MA, USA), on the growth and yield of Romaine ‘Ridgeline’ and Buttercrunch ‘UH Manoa’ lettuce (Lactuca sativa) using a non-circulating hydroponics system. Two-week old lettuce seedlings were transplanted into 5 cm holes, 20 × 30 cm apart on polystyrene bead boards fitted on top of a 0.6 m wide, 1.2 m long and 25 cm deep hydroponics tanks. A standard hydroponics nutrient solution was prepared using Chem Gro® (Hydro-Gardens, Colorado Springs, CO) (8-15-36 + micronutrients), calcium nitrate [Ca(NO₃)₂] and magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄). Each tank contained either one lettuce variety, replicated 12 times in completely randomized design. Growth and yields significantly increased in both lettuce varieties grown in coconut husk/sphagnum moss plugs which were attributed by their relatively greater water holding capacities and a more favorable media that allowed better root growth.