Impact of foliar nickel application on urease activity,antioxidant metabolism and control of powdery mildew (Microsphaera diffusa) in soybean plants

Nickel (Ni) is a cofactor for urease, an enzyme that breaks down urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological impact of Ni on urea, antioxidant metabolism and powdery mildew severity in soybean plants. Seven levels of Ni (0, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 g ha^?1) alone or combined with the fungicides fluxapyroxad and pyraclostrobin were applied to soybean plants. The total Ni concentration ranged from 3.8 to 38.0 mg kg^?1 in leaves and 3.0 to 18.0 mg kg^?1 in seeds. A strong correlation was observed between Ni concentration in the leaves and seeds, indicating translocation of Ni from leaves to seeds. Application of Ni above 60 g ha^?1 increased lipid peroxidation in the leaf tissues, indicative of oxidative stress. Application of 40 g ha^?1 Ni combined with 300 mL ha^?1 of fungicide reduced powdery mildew severity by up to 99%. Superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and urease enzyme activity were greatest under these conditions. Urea concentration decreased in response to Ni application. Urease activity in soybean leaves showed a negative correlation with powdery mildew severity. The leaf Ni concentration showed a positive correlation with the urease and a negative correlation with powdery mildew severity. The results of this study suggest that urease is a key enzyme regulated by Ni and has a role in host defence against powdery mildew by stimulating antioxidant metabolism in soybean plants.     

Assessment of nickel's sufficiency critical levels in cultivated soils,employing commonly used calibration techniques

Although Ni has been officially recognized as an essential micronutrient for all higher plants since 2004, research on assessing its sufficiency critical levels with different soil tests is missing in the literature. The objective of the study was to determine Ni critical levels in unpolluted cultivated soils utilizing four methods, employing three commonly used calibration techniques. Ten soils with different physical–chemical properties and low Ni content were treated with Ni at rates of 1, 2, 4, and 8 mg kg^?1. After equilibration for one month, the soils were analyzed for extractable Ni by four methods, namely DTPA, AB‐DTPA, AAAc‐EDTA, and Mehlich‐3. Response to soil‐applied Ni was assessed by a greenhouse pot experiment, with the untreated and Ni‐treated soils in three replications, using ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). The aboveground biomass of ryegrass was harvested two months after sowing, dry weight of biomass was measured and relative biomass yield was calculated. Nickel's critical levels were determined employing the: (a) graphical technique of Brown and co‐workers, (b) Mitscherlich–Bray equation, and (c) Cate and Nelson graphical technique. According to the first technique, Ni critical levels were ≈ 2 mg kg^?1 for the DTPA and AB‐DTPA methods, and 6.0 and 5.3 mg kg^?1 for the AAAc‐EDTA and Mehlich‐3 methods, respectively. Similar levels were obtained by the Mitscherlich–Bray equation. However, the critical levels assessed by the Cate and Nelson technique were lower and ranged from 0.5 to 1.3 mg kg^?1 for all four methods. Conclusively, Ni sufficiency critical levels for all four methods are expected to range at levels of a few mg Ni kg^?1 of soil. As far as the three calibration techniques are concerned, a distinct boundary between Ni response and non‐response was accomplished by none. However, the fact that 60–74% of the soils were correctly separated into responsive and non‐responsive to added Ni by the graphical technique of Brown and co‐workers suggests that this is the most suitable technique.     

改性橘子皮对废水中钴镍离子的吸附性能

采用冰醋酸-Ca(OH)2制备了新型活化橘子皮生物吸附剂HCOP,借助扫描电镜从微观组织形态上对比了未改性橘子皮(OP)、冰醋酸-Ca(OH)2活化橘子皮(HCOP)2种不同的生物吸附剂;研究了HCOP用量、p H、吸附时间和温度对HCOP吸附Co2+、Ni2+的影响,并讨论了吸附动力学和热力学模式。结果表明,当HCOP用量为5 g/L、p H 6.0的条件下,HCOP对2种离子的吸附速率均较快,符合准二级动力学方程。HCOP对Co2+、Ni2+的最大吸附量分别为44.58、52.47 mg/g,均符合Langmuir模型。在钴、镍二元混合体系中,HCOP对Ni2+的吸附选择性大于Co2+,HCOP可通过用HCl洗涤再生后循环使用6次。     

Distribution of Chromium,Nickel, and Cobalt in Different Parts of Plant Species and Soil in Mining Area of Keban,Turkey

Abstract

The distribution of chromium, nickel, and cobalt in the plant species and soil of the Zn‐Pb‐Ag sulfide deposits of the Keban area in Turkey have been studied to determine both biogeochemical indicators and biomonitoring of environmental pollution. Plants, including Euphorbia, Verbascum, and Astragalus, and their associated soil samples were collected, and the roots and shoots of these plants together with soils were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS). The three metal concentrations in the shoots of Euphorbia samples were found to be lower than in their roots, whereas the metal concentrations in shoots of Verbascum are higher than in their roots. Although the metal concentrations in soils were found to be lower than the permissible limits for agricultural purposes, the concentrations of these metals in different parts of some plants were observed at excessive/toxic levels. As a result, the roots of Euphorbia and the shoots of Verbascum and Astragalus can be used to biomonitor environmental contamination and as biogeochemical indicators.     

Remediation of a Sandy Soil Contaminated with Cadmium,Nickel, and Zinc using an Insoluble Polyacrylate Polymer

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate whether an insoluble polyacrylate polymer could be used to remediate a sandy soil contaminated with cadmium (Cd) (30 and 60 mg Cd kg^?1 of soil), nickel (Ni) (50 and 100 mg Ni kg^?1 of soil), zinc (Zn) (250 and 400 mg Zn kg^?1 of soil), or the three elements together (30 mg Cd, 50 mg Ni, and 250 mg Zn kg^?1 of soil). Growth of perennial ryegrass was stimulated in the polymer‐amended soil contaminated with the greatest amounts of Ni or Zn, and when the three metals were present, compared with the unamended soil with the same levels of contamination. Shoots of plants cultivated in the amended soil had concentrations of the metals that were 24–67% of those in plants from the unamended contaminated soil. After ryegrass had been growing for 87 days, the amounts of water‐extractable metals present in the amended soil varied from 8 to 53% of those in the unamended soil. The results are consistent with soil remediation being achieved through removal of the metals from soil solution.     

Cd~(2+)和Ni~(2+)对小麦毒性的比较研究

研究了两种相同价态的重金属离子 Cd2＋和 Ni2＋在不同浓度下对小麦种子萌发及其幼苗生长的毒害作用。实验结果表明，随着 Cd2＋和 Ni2＋浓度的增加，小麦种子的发芽数量、速度和质量，根和芽的生长速度及萌发种子的α－淀粉酶活性均降低。浓度较低时， Cd2＋的毒性大。反之， Ni2＋的毒性大。推测 Cd2＋和 Ni2＋影响小麦生长发育的机理是不同的。     

Light‐induced reduction of FE3+ as related to causes of chlorosis in cotton

In growth chambers, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. genetic selection ‘M8') was grown in a synthetic growth medium under four light regimes: low pressure sodium (LPS), LPS + Incandescent (Inc), cool white fluorescent (CWF) and CWF + Inc lamps at 22 C under LPS lamps. Less chlorosis developed at 26 C than at 22 C and less under LPS + Inc than under LPS lamps. All plants were green under CWF and CWF + Inc light. Green and chlorotic plant tissue contained about the same concentrations of Fe. The proposed hypothesis was that chlorotic tissue’ contained less Fe²⁺ than green tissue. Chlorotic leaves treated with FeSO₄ turned a green color. Enough CWF + Inc light passed through an intact leaf to reduce Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ in vitro. Also in vitro, Fe³⁺ was reduced by CWF, by Inc, but not by LPS light. The amount of Fe³⁺ reduced during an illumination period was directly proportional to the quantity of light used. In vitro, citrate and malate enhanced Fe³⁺ reduction, whereas phosphate, pyrophosphate, OH^‐, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Mn²⁺, Zn²⁺, and F^‐ all inhibited Fe³⁺ reduction by light. Orthophosphate was about 8 times as effective as organic P in decreasing Fe³⁺ reduction. Citrate largely alleviated the inhibitory effects of Pi and pH (up to pH 6). The data also provide a possible explanation of a role for many of the elements known to induce or aggravate Fe chlorosis (inhibit Fe³⁺ reduction). Quantity and quality of light apparently play key roles in plant growth as related to reduction of Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ in plant tops.     

Potassium uptake characteristics of prunus rootstocks: Influence of solution Ca/Mg ratios and solution nickel

Abstract

Nutrient solution experiments were conducted in the growth chamber to study the influence of rootstock, solution Ca/Mg ratios and solution nickel on K uptake. The experimental plants were one‐year‐old prune trees: ‘French’ prune (Prunus domestica L.) scions grafted on Myrobalan 29C (P. cerasifera Ehrh.), Marianna 2624 (P. cerasifera x P. munsoniana?) or Nemaguard (P. persica x P. davidiana) rootstocks. Ion uptake parameters Imax, Km, and Cmin were calculated from ion depletion measurements over a 6 to 10‐hr period.

With K solution concentrations initially adjusted to 100 μM, K uptake rates of Prunus rootstocks were constant down to approximately 20–30 μM, then declined. Rootstocks were able to deplete solution K to concentrations less than 1 μM. There were no significant differences in K uptake parameters among the rootstocks tested.

Varying solution Ca/Mg ratio from 2.75/1 to 1/4 (Ca + Mg = 3.75 mM) had no effect on K uptake. Potassium uptake rates of Myrobalan 29C rootstocks in the presence of 100 μM nickel were not significantly different from those in the absence of nickel. Rates of nickel uptake were significantly lower than those of K. After eight days of pretreatment in solutions adjusted daily to 100 μM Ni(NO₃)₂, prune leaves began to show signs of interveinal chlorosis. Potassium uptake by nickel pretreated trees was not significantly different from that by control trees. Results are discussed in relation to field observations of K deficiency in prune orchards.     

Improvement of Antioxidant System and Decrease of Lignin by Nickel Treatment in Tea Plant

The effect of nickel (Ni) on the activities of antioxidant enzymes was evaluated in suspension-cultured cells of tea (Camellia sinensis L. cv. ‘Yabukita’) and two-year-old rooted cuttings of tea (Camellia sinensis L. assamica × sinensis). Suspension-cultured cells were grown in B5 medium and treated with 40 μM of Ni for 24 h. Tea plants were grown in a modified Hoagland solution and treated for one week with 40 μM of Ni. The activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and ionically wall-bound peroxidase of both Ni-treated tea cells and Ni-treated tea plants increased compared with those of control groups. The activities of soluble peroxidase and covalently wall-bound peroxidase, as well as the lignin content of both tea cells and tea plants, decreased under Ni treatment. Thus it seems that Ni may have beneficial effects on tea plants via elevation of antioxidant activity and decrease of lignification of the walls.