Metal uptake in maize, willows and poplars on impoldered and freshwater tidal marshes in the Scheldt estuary

Foliar Cd and Zn concentrations in Salix, Populus and Zea mays grown on freshwater tidal marshes were assessed. Soil metal concentrations were elevated, averaging 9.7 mg Cd kg^?1 dry soil, 1100 mg Zn kg^?1 dry soil and 152 mg Cr kg^?1 dry soil. Cd (1.1–13.7 mg kg^?1) and Zn (192–1140 mg kg^?1) concentrations in willows and poplars were markedly higher than in maize on impoldered tidal marshes (0.8–4.8 mg Cd kg^?1 and 155–255 mg Zn kg^?1). Foliar samples of maize were collected on 90 plots on alluvial and sediment‐derived soils with variable degree of soil pollution. For soil Cd concentrations exceeding 7 mg Cd kg^?1 dry soil, there was a 50% probability that maize leaf concentrations exceeded public health standards for animal fodder. It was shown that analysis of foliar samples of maize taken in August can be used to predict foliar metal concentrations at harvest. These findings can therefore contribute to anticipating potential hazards arising from maize cultivation on soils with elevated metal contents.     

Uptake,distribution, and binding of cadmium and nickel in different plant species

For better understanding of mechanisms responsible for differences in uptake and distribution of cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) in different plant species, nutrient solution experiments were conducted with four plant species [bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), rice (Oryza saliva L.), curly kale (Brassica oleracea L.) and maize (Zea mays L.)]. The plants were grown in a complete nutrient solution with additional 0.125 and 0.50 μM Cd or 0.50 and 1.00 μM Ni. Large differences in Cd and Ni concentrations in shoot dry matter were found between plant species. Maize had the highest Cd concentration in the shoots, and bean the lowest. Contrary to Cd, the Ni concentrations were highest in the shoots of bean and the lowest in maize. A gradient of Cd concentrations occurred in bean and rice plants with the order roots > > stalk base >> shoots (stems/sheaths > leaves). A similar gradient of Ni concentrations was also found in maize and rice plants. In the xylem sap, the Cd and Ni concentrations were positively correlated with Cd and Ni concentrations in the shoot dry matter. In the roots of maize, about 60% of Cd could be extracted with Tris‐HCl buffer (pH 8.0), while in roots of other plant species this proportion was much lower. This higher extractability of Cd in the roots of maize is in accordance with the higher mobility as indicated by the higher translocation of Cd from roots to shoots and also the higher Cd concentrations in the xylem sap in maize than in the other plant species. Similarly, a higher proportion of Ni in the soluble fraction was found in the roots of bean compared with maize which is in agreement with the higher Ni accumulation in the shoots of bean. The results of gel‐filtration of the soluble extracts of the roots indicated that phytochelatins (PCs) were induced in the roots upon Cd but not Ni exposure. The higher Cd concentrations and proportions of Cd bound to PC complexes in the roots of maize compared with the other plant species suggest that PCs may be involved in the Cd trans‐location from roots to shoots.     

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Association in Plants Growing on Metal-Contaminated and Noncontaminated Soils Adjoining Kanpur Tanneries, Uttar Pradesh, India

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of 7 intercrops on Cd uptake by maize. The intercrops included cowpea (V. unguiculata (L.) Walp.), purple haricot (L. purpureus (L.) Sweet.), chickpea (C. arietinum L.), alfalfa (M. sativa L.), teosinte (E. mexicana Schrad.), amaranth (A. paniculatus L.) and rape (B. napus L.). The results showed that most legumes substantially increased Cd uptake by maize during vegetative growth. Leaf tissue of maize grown with legumes averaged 5.05 mg kg^?1 higher Cd than that grown with nonlegumes, or 2.42 mg kg^?1 higher than the control. However, the effect of intercrops on Cd uptake by maize became small during reproductive growth. Since chickpea resulted in a relatively large maize bioconcentration factor of 2.0 and large transfer factor of 0.55, it is regarded as the most valuable intercrop for enhancing Cd extraction from soil by maize. The results suggest that intercropping might be a feasible practice in facilitating phytoremediation.     

Zinc accumulation in lettuce cultivars grown with organic or chemical based nutritional regimes

This study determined the potential to increase Zn density of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) through cultivar selection and nutrient management. Organic fertilizer and Hoagland and Arnon no.1 solution factored with three zinc (Zn) levels provided as zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) were the fertilizer regimes in a greenhouse experiment. Modern cultivars had a 32% higher fresh head weight than heritage cultivars, but each accumulated the same Zn concentration (65 mg kg^?1 dry wt). Butterhead phenotypes had a 38% lower yield than loose-leaf and had the highest Zn concentration (78 mg kg^?1 dry wt) followed by romaine (66 mg kg^?1 dry wt) and loose-leaf (53 mg kg^?1 dry wt). Concentration of Zn did not differ between fertility regimes, being about 66 mg kg^?1 dry wt with each regime. Differences in Zn concentrations were significant among individual cultivars with ranges from 42 mg g^?1 dry wt to 91 mg kg^?1 dry wt. ‘Tom Thumb’, ‘Adriana’, ‘Claremont’, and ‘Focea’ were the top in cultivar ranking, with mean Zn concentration of 63 mg kg^?1 dry wt. The results signify that selection of cultivars may be utilized to increase Zn accumulation in lettuce but that nutritional regimes had little effect on accumulation.     

Cadmium Uptake by Winter Wheat Seedlings in Response to Interactions Between Phosphorus and Zinc Supply in Soils

ABSTRACT

Effects of application of zinc (Zn) (0, 1, 5, 10 mg kg^?1 soil) and phosphorus (P) (0, 10, 50, 100 mg kg^?1 soil) on growth and cadmium (Cd) accumulations in shoots and roots of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings were investigated in a pot experiment. All soils were supplied with a constant concentration of Cd (6 mg kg^?1 soil). Phosphorus application resulted in a pronounced increase in shoot and root biomass. Effects of Zn on plant growth were not as marked as those of P. High Zn (10 mg kg^?1) decreased the biomass of both shoots and roots; this result may be ascribed to Zn toxicity. Phosphorus and Zn showed complicated interactions in uptake by plants within the ranges of P and Zn levels used. Cadmium in shoots decreased significantly with increasing Zn (P < 0.001) except at P addition of 10 mg kg^?1. In contrast, root Cd concentrations increased significantly except at Zn addition of 5 mg kg^?1 (P < 0.001). These results indicated that Zn might inhibit Cd translocation from roots to shoots. Cadmium concentrations increased in shoots (P < 0.001) but decreased in roots (P < 0.001) with increasing P supply. The interactions between Zn and P had a significant effect on Cd accumulation in both shoots (p = 0.002) and roots (P < 0.001).     

Effect of cadmium toxicity on micronutrient concentration,uptake and partitioning in seven rice cultivars

Heavy metal uptake, translocation and partitioning differ greatly among plant cultivars and plant parts. A pot experiment was conducted to determine the effect of cadmium (Cd) levels (0, 45 and 90 mg kg^?1 soil) on dry matter yield, and concentration, uptake and translocation of Cd, Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu in seven rice cultivars. Application of 45 mg Cd kg^?1 soil decreased root and shoot dry weight. On average, shoot and root Cd concentrations and uptake increased in all cultivars, but micronutrients uptake decreased following the application of 45 mg Cd kg^?1. No significant differences were observed between 45 and 90 mg kg^?1 Cd levels. On average, Cd treatments resulted in a decrease in Zn, Fe and Mn concentrations in shoots and Zn, Cu and Mn concentrations in roots. Differences were observed in Cd and micronutrient concentrations and uptake among rice cultivars. Translocation factor, defined as the shoot/root concentration ratio indicated that Cu and Fe contents in roots were higher than in shoots. The Mn concentration was much higher in shoots. Zinc concentrations were almost similar in the two organs of rice at 0 and 45 mg Cd kg^?1. A higher Cd level, however, led to a decrease in the Zn concentration in shoots.     

香港土壤研究Ⅱ.土壤硒的含量、分布及其影响因素

基于香港地区51个剖面土壤和44个表层土壤中总硒量的分析,对香港土壤硒含量、分布及其影响因素进行研究.分析结果表明,香港土壤总硒量变幅在0.07～2.26 mg kg-1,平均含量为0.76 mg kg-1,在湿润铁铝土中的硒含量最高,平均为1.05 mg kg-1,含量最低的为旱耕人为土,平均为0.45 mg kg-1;在土壤剖面中硒主要分布在心土层和底土层.林地土壤硒含量(1.36 mg kg-1)较高, 农业土壤较低(0.36 mg kg-1).影响香港土壤硒含量及其分布的因素主要是成土母质.土壤pH值、有机质、粘粒和Fe、Al的含量也是影响土壤硒富集与分布的因素.     

Cadmium Phytoextraction Efficiency of Arum (Colocasia antiquorum), Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and Water Spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) Grown in Hydroponics

Selection of a phytoextraction plant with high Cd accumulation potential based on compatibility with mechanized cultivation practice and local environmental conditions may provide more benefits than selection based mainly on high Cd tolerance plants. In this hydroponics study, the potential of Cd accumulation by three plant species; arum (Colocasia antiquorum), radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) were investigated. Arum (Colocasia antiquorum L.) plants were grown for 60 days in a nutrient solution with 0, 10 or 50 μM Cd, while radish and water spinach plants grew only 12 days in 0, 1.5, 2.5, 5 or 10 μM Cd. Growth of radish and water spinach plants decreased under all Cd treatments (1.5 to 10 μM), while arum growth decreased only at 50 μM Cd. At 10 μM Cd treatment, the growth of arum was similar to the control treatment indicating higher tolerance of arum for Cd than radish and water spinach. Cadmium concentrations in different plant parts of all plant species increased significantly with Cd application in the nutrient solution. Arum and water spinach retained greater proportions of Cd in their roots, while in radish, Cd concentration in leaves was higher than in other plant parts. Cadmium concentrations in arum increased from 158 to 1,060 in the dead leaves, 37 to 280 in the normal leaves, 108 to 715 in the stems, 42 to 290 in the bulbs and 1,195 to 3,840 mg kg^?1 in the roots, when the Cd level in the solution was raised from 10 μM Cd to 50 μM Cd. Arum accumulated (dry weight?×?concentration) 25 mg plant^?1 at 10 μM, while the corresponding values for radish and water spinach were 0.23 and 0.44 mg plant^?1, respectively. With no growth retardation at Cd concentrations as high as 166 mg kg^?1 measured in entire plant (including root) of arum at 10 μM Cd in the nutrient solution, arum could be a potential Cd accumulator plant species and could be used for phytoremediation.     

Influence of soil applied boron on yield of berseem (Trifolium alexandrium L.) and soil boron fractions in calcareous soils

A greenhouse experiment was conducted in North-west India to study the effect of soil applied boron on yield of berseem (Trifolium alexandrium L.) and soil boron fractions in boron deficient calcareous soils. Three soils with varying calcium carbonate content viz. 0.75% (Soil I), 2.6% (Soil II), and 5.7% (Soil III) were collected from different sites of Ludhiana, Bathinda, and Shri Muktsar Sahib districts, Punjab, India. The treatments consisted of six levels of soil applied boron viz. 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, and 2.0 mg B kg^?1 along with control. The green fodder yield and dry matter yield increased significantly at 0.75 mg B kg^?1 soil treatment level in the first cutting, while these were significant at 1.0 mg B kg^?1 soil treatment level in all soils at second, third, and fourth cuttings. Among all three calcareous soils, Soil I with lower calcium carbonate was the best soil in respect of mean yield in comparison to Soil II and Soil III. Combined effect of boron level and soils had significant effect on yield of berseem. There was a significant increase in mean dry root biomass at 1.0 mg B kg^?1 soil level over control and then remained non-significant with further high levels of soil applied boron. The mean dry root biomass decreased significantly for the soils having 0.75%, 2.6%, and 5.7% calcium carbonate levels. Readily soluble fraction is considered to be easily available fraction of B for plant uptake and consisted of 0.47–0.62% in Soil I, 0.31–0.43% in Soil II, and 0.24–0.34% in Soil III of the total boron. Among all B fractions, mean readily soluble, specifically adsorbed, and oxide-bound fractions got increased significantly with increase in B levels. Readily soluble and organically bound B fractions were more in Soil I as compared to Soil II and Soil III. Specifically adsorbed boron, oxide bound fraction, residual and total boron were more in Soil III in comparison to Soil I and Soil II. Among all fractions, residual fraction accounted for the major portion of the total B. It comprised of 92.71–93.90% in Soil I, 94.51–95.40% in Soil II, and 94.91–95.25% in Soil III of the total boron.     

Cadmium bioavailability to Nicotiana tabacum L., Nicotiana rustica L., and Zea mays L. grown in soil amended or not amended with cadmium nitrate

Summary Mature (flowering) tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. PBD6, Nicotiana rustica cv. Brasilia) and maize (Zea mays cv. INRA 260) plants were grown in an acid sandy-clay soil, enriched to 5.4 mg Cd kg^–1 dry weight soil with cadmium nitrate. The plants were grown in containers in the open air. No visible symptoms of Cd toxicity developed on plant shoots over the 2-month growing period. Dry-matter yields showed that while the Nicotiana spp. were unaffected by the Cd application the yield of Z. mays decreased by 21%. Cd accumulation and distribution in leaves, stems and roots were examined. In the control treatment (0.44 mg Cd kg^–1 dry weight soil), plant Cd levels ranged from 0.4 to 6.8 mg kg^–1 dry weight depending on plant species and plant parts. Soil Cd enrichment invariably increased the Cd concentrations in plant parts, which varied from 10.1 to 164 mg kg^–1 dry weight. The maximum Cd concentrations occurred in the leaves of N. tabacum. In N. rustica 75% of the total Cd taken up by the plant was transported to the leaves, and 81% for N. tabacum irrespective of the Cd level in the soil. In contrast, the Cd concentrations in maize roots were almost five times higher than those in the leaves. More than 50% of the total Cd taken up by maize was retained in the roots at both soil Cd levels. The Cd level in N. tabacum leaves was 1.5 and 2 times higher at the low and high Cd soil level, respectively, than that in N. rustica leaves, but no significant difference was found in root Cd concentrations between the two Nicotiana spp.Cd bioavailability was calculated as the ratio of the Cd level in the control plants to that in the soil or as the ratio of the additional Cd taken up from cadmium nitrate to the amount of Cd applied. The results showed that the plant species used can be ranked in a decreasing order as follows: N. tabacum > N. rustica > Z. mays.     

Effects of Forms and Rates of Zinc Fertilizers on Cadmium Concentrations in Two Cultivars of Maize

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of three soluble zinc (Zn) fertilizers on cadmium (Cd) concentrations in two genotypes of maize (Zea mays): Jidan 209 and Changdan 374. Zinc fertilizers were added to soil at four levels: 0, 80, 160, and 240 mg kg^?1 soil as nitrate [Zn(NO₃)₂], chloride (ZnCl₂), and sulfate (ZnSO₄). Cadmium nitrate [Cd(NO₃)₂] was added to all the treatments at a uniform rate equivalent to 10 mg kg^?1 soil. The biomass of maize plants was increased with the application of three zinc fertilizers, of which Zn(NO₃)₂ yielded more than others. Under ZnCl₂ treatment, plant growth was promoted at the lower level and depressed at the higher one. All the three fertilizers decreased Cd concentration in shoots in comparison with treatments without Zn, but there were variations with different forms, especially in plants treated with Zn(NO₃)₂, which had the minimal value. The orders of average Cd concentration in shoots with different zinc fertilizers were ZnSO₄>ZnCl₂>Zn(NO₃)₂ for Jidan 209 and ZnCl₂>ZnSO₄>Zn(NO₃)₂ for Changdan 374, respectively (P<0.001). There was no significant difference between ZnSO₄ and ZnCl₂ treatments. The lowest Cd concentration in shoots was found in the 80‐mg‐kg^?1 soil or 160‐mg‐kg^?1 soil treatment. Cadmium concentration in roots in the presence of ZnCl₂ was the lowest and under ZnSO₄ the highest. The mechanism involved needs to be studied to elucidate the characteristics of complexation of Cl^? and SO₄ ^2? with Cd in plants and their influence on transfer from roots to shoots.     

Root zone selenium reduces cadmium toxicity by modulating tissue-specific growth and metabolism in maize (Zea mays L.)

The effects of selenium (Se) cadmium (Cd) interactions on plant growth and metabolism are not fully clear. In the present study, we assessed whether Se could alleviate the toxic effects of Cd on growth and metabolism of maize. Seeds of maize variety FH-985 were sown in pots filled with sand treated with CdCl₂ (0, 50 and 100 µM) and Se (0, 2 and 4 mg L^?1) through Hoagland’s nutrient solution. Low Se (2 mg L^?1) increased germination percentage and rate, while high Se (4 mg L^?1) increased fresh and dry biomass under Cd stress. Interestingly, all Se concentrations were effective in alleviating the toxic effects of Cd on photosynthetic pigments, whereas higher Se mitigated the Cd-induced oxidative stress and increased flavonoids both in the shoots and roots while phenolics in the roots. The results demonstrated that root zone Se altered tissue-specific primary metabolism in maize. Furthermore, low Se mitigated the Cd-induced decrease in total proteins in the root. Overall, Se-mediated decrease in the oxidative stress in the shoots while increase of secondary metabolites in the roots helped the plants to grow faster at early growth stage and caused increase in the biomass under different Cd regimes.     

The influence of phosphate fertilizer application levels and cultivars on cadmium uptake by Komatsuna (Brassica rapa L. var. perviridis)

Cadmium (Cd) is a common impurity in phosphate fertilizers and application of phosphate fertilizer may contribute to soil Cd accumulation. Changes in Cd burdens to agricultural soils and the potential for plant Cd accumulation resulting from fertilizer input were investigated in this study. A field experiment was conducted on Haplaquept to investigate the influence of calcium superphosphate on extractable and total soil Cd and on growth and Cd uptake of different Komatsuna (Brassica rapa L. var. perviridis) cultivars. Four cultivars of Komatsuna were grown on the soil and harvested after 60 days. The superphosphate application increased total soil Cd from 2.51 to 2.75?mg?kg^?1, 0.1?mol?L^?1 hydrochloric acid (HCl) extractable Cd from 1.48 to 1.55?mg?kg^?1, 0.01?mol?L^?1 HCl extractable Cd from 0.043 to 0.046?mg?kg^?1 and water extractable Cd from 0.0057 to 0.0077?mg?kg^?1. Cd input reached 5.68?g?ha^–1 at a rate of 240?kg?ha^–1 superphosphate fertilizer application. Superphosphate affected dry-matter yield of leaves to different degrees in each cultivar. ‘Nakamachi’ produced the highest yield in 2008 and ‘Hamami No. 2’ in 2009. Compared with the control (no phosphate fertilizer), application of superphosphate at a rate of 240?kg?ha^–1 increased the Cd concentration in dry leaves by 0.14?mg?kg^?1 in ‘Maruha’, 1.03?mg?kg^?1 in ‘Nakamachi’, 0.63?mg?kg^?1 in ‘SC8-007’ in 2008, and by 0.19?mg?kg^?1 in Maruha’, 0.17?mg?kg^?1 in ‘Hamami No. 2’, while it decreased by 0.27?mg?kg^?1 in ‘Nakamachi’ in 2009. Field experiments in two years demonstrated that applications of different levels of calcium superphosphate did not influence Cd concentration in soil and Komatsuna significantly. However, there was a significant difference in Cd concentration of fresh and dry Komatsuna leaves among four cultivars in 2008 and 2009. The highest Cd concentration was found in the ‘Nakamachi’ cultivar (2.14?mg?kg^?1 in 2008 and 1.91?mg?kg^?1 in 2009). The lowest Cd concentration was observed in the ‘Maruha’ cultivar (1.51?mg?kg^?1?dry weight (DW)) in 2008 and in the ‘Hamami No. 2’ cultivar (1.56?mg?kg^?1?DW) in 2009. A decreasing trend in Cd concentration was found in ‘Nakamachi’, followed by ‘SC8-007’, ‘Hamami No. 2’ and ‘Maruha’ successively. It is necessary to consider a low-uptake cultivar for growing in a Cd polluted soil. In these two years’ results, ‘Maruha’ cultivar was the lowest Cd uptake cultivar compared to the others.     

Selection of cultivars to reduce the concentration of cadmium and thallium in food and fodder plants

Pot and field experiments were carried out from 1994 to 1997 to investigate Cd and Tl uptake by various genotypes of maize, spring rape and kale on soils contaminated with i) Cd by the addition of river sediments (aqua regia-extractable Cd: 24 mg kg^—1 soil) and ii) with Tl by deposits from a cement plant (HNO₃-extractable Tl:1.4 mg kg^—1 soil). In field experiments on the Cd-contaminated soil, Cd concentrations in shoots and kernels of fifty maize inbred lines differed by a factor of about twenty (from < 1 to 15 mg Cd kg^—1 DM in shoots and from 0.02 to 0.5 mg Cd kg^—1 DM in kernels). After crossing inbred lines having high and low Cd concentration, Cd concentration of the resulting hybrids decreased, mainly as a result of a higher dry matter production (a dilution effect). In pot and field experiments on the Tl-contaminated soil, the selected cultivars of spring rape showed only small differences in Tl uptake, whereas Tl concentration in shoots of the kale cultivars differed more than twenty-fold (in the pot experiment from < 1 to 24 mg Tl kg^—1 DM and in the field experiment from 0.5 to 11.7 mg Tl kg^—1 shoot DM). Two groups of cultivars with low and high Tl concentrations could be distinguished. A nutrient solution experiment with radioactively labeled Tl showed that higher Tl concentration of kale in comparison to white cabbage can be attributed mainly to a higher uptake rate in kale (about 30-fold) with subsequent root-to-shoot translocation. The results show that, depending on plant species, selection and growing of cultivars with low heavy metal uptake on contaminated soils can substantially contribute to reduce the concentration of Cd and Tl in food and fodder plants.     

Phytotoxicity of Cadmium in Radish and Its Effects on Growth,Yield, and Cadmium Uptake

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effects of cadmium (Cd) on growth, biomass yield, and Cd uptake in three radish (Raphanus sativus L.) varieties at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore, India, during 2008–2009. Plants were subjected to different Cd levels by application of cadmium nitrate [Cd (NO₃)₂] at the rates of 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg Cd kg^?1 soil. Length and fresh and dry biomass yields of shoots and roots decreased because of the phytotoxic effect of Cd. Among three varieties, Japanese White Long showed the greatest sensitivity to Cd toxicity. The accumulation of Cd in shoots and roots was greatest in Japanese White Long, which had greater bioconcentration factor values. Variety Arka Nishanth recorded lower bioconcentration factor values and greater transfer coefficient values, indicating lower Cd accumulation in root tubers in this variety. Hence, variety Arka Nishanth can be preferred in Cd-contaminated soils.     

Response of leguminosae to cadmium exposure

Bush bean and pea plants grown in a sandy substrate and treated daily with nutrient solutions containing either 50 and 125 pM cadmium (Cd), added as cadmium nitrate [Cd(NO₃)2], were analyzed for dry matter production, total Cd content, and extractable Cd. Cadmium depressed dry matter production of both plant species. Bush bean plants accumulated larger amounts of Cd in tissues and displayed lower Cd tolerance than pea plants. The high accumulation of Cd in roots of bush bean does not seem to prevent Cd translocation. Pea plants show a higher exclusion capacity at the root level, suggesting that membrane selectivity rather than apoplastic compartmentation may act as a defence mechanism against Cd toxicity. Gel‐permeation chromatography and voltammetric analyses showed that part of water‐soluble Cd extracted from tissues of pea and bush bean was as free metal ion (Cd²⁺). In addition, Cd into the nutrient solution induced progressively the synthesis of water‐soluble proteins at low molecular weigth in tissues of both plant specie. In root extracts of pea and bush bean, Cd was also associated with “like‐protein”; fraction with apparent molecular weight >30 KDa.     

Potential of Borago officinalis, Sinapis alba L. and Phacelia boratus for Phytoextraction of Cd and Pb from Soil

Heavy metal phytoextraction is a soil remediation technique, which makes use of plants in removing contamination from soil. The plants must thus be tolerant to heavy metals, adaptable to soil and climate characteristics, and able to take up large amounts of heavy metals. Most of the high biomass productive plants such as, maize, oat and sunflower are plants, which do not grow in cold climates or need intensive care. In this study three “weed” plants, Borago officinalis; Sinapis alba L. and Phacelia boratus were investigated for their ability to tolerate and accumulate high amounts of Cd and Pb. Pot experiments were performed with soil containing Cd and Pb at concentrations of up to 180 mg kg^?1 and 2,400 mg kg^?1 respectively. All three plants showed high levels of tolerance. Borago officinalis; and Sinapis alba L. accumulated 109 mg kg^?1 and 123 mg kg^?1 Cd, respectively at the highest Cd spiked soil concentration. Phacelia boratus reached a Cd concentration of 42 mg kg^?1 at a Cd soil concentration of 100 mg kg^?1. In the case of Pb, B. officinalis and S. alba L. displayed Pb concentrations of 25 mg kg^?1 and 29 mg kg^?1, respectively at the highest Pb spiked soil concentration. Although the Pb uptake in P. boratus reached up to 57 mg kg^?1 at a Pb spiked soil concentration of 1,200 mg kg^?1, it is not suitable for phytoextraction because of its too low biomass.     

DRY BEAN GENOTYPES EVALUATION FOR GROWTH,YIELD COMPONENTS AND PHOSPHORUS USE EFFICIENCY

Dry bean along with rice is a staple food for the population of South America. In this tropical region beans are grown on Oxisols and phosphorus (P) is one of the most yield limiting factors for dry bean production on these soils. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate P use efficiency in 20 elite dry bean genotypes grown at deficient (25 mg P kg^?1 soil) and sufficient (200 mg P kg^?1) levels of soil P. Grain yields and yield components were significantly increased with P fertilization and, interspecific genotype differences were observed for yield and yield components. The grain yield efficiency index (GYEI) was having highly significant quadratic association with grain yield. Based on GYEI most P use efficient genotypes were CNFP 8000, CNFP 10035, CNFP10104, CNFC 10410, CNFC 9461, CNFC 10467, CNFP 10109 and CNFP 10076 and most inefficient genotypes were CNFC 10438, CNFP 10120, CNFP 10103, and CNFC 10444. Shoot dry weight, number of pods per plant, 100-grain weights and number of seeds per pod was having significant positive association with grain yield. Hence, grain yield of dry bean can be improved with the improvement of these plant traits by adopting appropriate management practices. Soil pH, extractable P and calcium (Ca) saturation were significantly influenced by P treatments. Based on regression equation, optimum pH value in water was 6.6, optimum P in Mehlich 1 extraction solution was 36 mg kg^?1 and optimum Ca saturation value was 37% for dry maximum bean yield.     

Phosphorus Nutrition of Upland Rice,Dry Bean,Soybean, and Corn Grown on an Oxisol

Rice, dry bean, corn, and soybean are important food crops. Phosphorus (P) deficiency is one of the most yield-limiting factors for these crops grown on highly weathered Brazilian Oxisols. Four greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine P requirements of these four crops. The P levels used were 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg kg^?1. Growth, yield, and yield components evaluated of four crop species were significantly increased with the application of P fertilization. Most of the responses were quadratic in fashion when the P was applied in the range of 0 to 400 mg kg^?1. Maximum grain yield of upland rice was obtained with the application of 238 mg P kg^?1 of soil, maximum dry bean grain yield was obtained with the application of 227 mg P kg^?1 of soil, and maximum grain yield of soybean was obtained with the application of 224 mg P kg^?1 of soil. Maximum shoot growth of corn was obtained with the addition of 323 mg P kg^?1 of soil. Most of the growth and yield components had significant positive association with grain yield or shoot dry weight. Phosphorus concentration and uptake were greater in the grain compared to straw in upland rice and dry bean plants. Overall, P-use efficiencies decreased with increasing P rates.