Bioindicator Plant Research Articles

VARIABILITY OF FLUCTUATING ASYMMETRY OF BETULA PENDULA ROTH LEAVES DEPENDING ON GROWING CONDITIONS

In the work, the relationship (FA) of the leaves of the hanging birch Betula pendula Roth with atmospheric pollution, climatic indicators and soil characteristics was determined. We analyzed data obtained from 10 sites located in the main geographical directions from the city of Ukhta (Komi Republic, Russia). FA was based on 5 morphological parameters (n=100). In the soil, we determined the pH (water and salt extracts), the content of organic matter and mobile forms of metals. Information on air pollution and climate parameters was obtained from open sources. We established high FA of B. pendula at all sites (0.064-0.076). It was shown that this is not related to the geographical location of the birch growing area. There was no excess of standards of pollutants in the air and soil at the sites. Correlation analysis showed that FA increases in response to a decrease in the proportion of organic matter in the soil and an increase in soil acidity (r is -0.49 and -0.42, respectively). Also, the increase in FA is associated with the content of mobile forms of Pb, Mn, Cu (r is 0.6, 0.36, 0.35, respectively). We found no effect of the content of mobile Zn, Fe, Cd in the soil on the FA level of the leaves. Thus, it is shown that soil characteristics affect the asymmetry of the bioindicator plant, including within environmental regulations. This fact should be taken into account when interpreting the results of the assessment of the ecological state of the territories.

Evaluation of tree species using Air Pollution Tolerance Index for urban landscaping in Delhi

Air pollution which negatively impacts both human health and the environment is a mountainous challenge before policymakers and city planners in urban areas. Urban landscaping with effective pollution-combating tree species is one of the soundest strategies to mitigate pollution adversaries. However, not all tree species are equally suitable for urban environments due to varying levels of tolerance to air pollution. This study has been designed to evaluate the physiological and biochemical responses of seven commonly occurring tree species in the Talkatora garden (TG) and Income Tax Office (ITO) representing non-polluted and polluted locations in Delhi, respectively applying Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI). The current research study was carried out during 2021–22 at the Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. In tree species understudy, it was recorded that the pH of leaf extract, total chlorophyll, and relative water content was lower in the winter season than summer season except for the ascorbic acid. Ficus religiosa with the highest APTI value (23.23) followed by Pongamia pinnata (20.85) were found most tolerant tree species to air pollution in Delhi during the winter season at the polluted (ITO) and non-polluted (TG) location respectively with a reverse trend for the summer season. Polyalthia longifolia was found most sensitive (bioindicator plant) to air pollution among the seven trees under study owing to the lowest APTI values (11.14 and 12.58) across the seasons at non-polluted (TG) and polluted (ITO) locations respectively. Furthermore, Ficus religiosa with the highest APTI across the locations and seasons was assessed as the best performer, hence, could be the most efficient option for landscaping in polluted and non-polluted areas.

Natural ageing of biochar improves its benefits to soil Pb immobilization and reduction in soil phytotoxicity.

Amendments are good tools for immobilizing metal(loid) and improving phytoremediation success. However, the amendment effect is variable and depends on multiple parameters, including amendment type and ageing. Such an ageing effect is rarely studied. Our study is one of the first focusing on how biochar storage affects its effect on soil properties and metal(loid) immobilization, when biochar was applied alone or in combination with green manure. To answer this, a 33-day pot incubation experiment was set up using contaminated soil, amended with two biochars (differing in ages: old (Bo) and new (Bn)) and/or two green manures (leaves of clover or poplar) and sown with Phaseolus vulgaris (bioindicator plant). Soil pore waters, plant growth and metal(loid) accumulation were evaluated. Biochar reduced soil acidity (Bn: + 0.75 pH unit, Bo: + 0.72 unit) and Pb mobility (Bn: - 42%, Bo: - 50%), while green manures acidified the soil (- 0.30 pH unit) and immobilized Pb only after 10days (- 44%). All amendments reduced soil phytotoxicity. Moreover, the biochar stored at room temperature for a few years demonstrated better abilities to improve soil properties, particularly for Pb immobilization, than the biochar freshly prepared. Finally, as mixtures maturated, soil parameters changed until about ten days, then tended to stabilize. Therefore, it can be concluded that (1) biochar storage will affect its chemical properties and ameliorate its effects, (2) biochar can ameliorate soil properties and immobilize metal(loid)s, while green manures tended to have adverse effects at first, and (3) soil/amendment mixtures should be left to mature about two weeks before potential plant implementation.

SR-XRFA in research of Siberian shrubs of the urban ecosystem

A study has been first made of the element composition of the plants of three species of two genus Spiraea and Myricaria, growing in the Novosibirsk Urban Ecosystem and the soil samples from their habitat by method of Xray fluorescence analysis using synchrotron radiation (SR-XRFA). The most severe heavy metal pollution in urban conditions was noted in Myricaria bracteata plants. The species Spiraea chamaedryfolia, the most tolerant to pollution in urban conditions may be recommended as a standard and M. bracteata is recommended as a bioindicator plant for environmental pollution. The data obtained on the elemental composition of plant samples and soils may be included in the databases.

Comprehensive toxicity screening of Pazarsuyu stream water containing heavy metals and protective role of lycopene

In this study, heavy metal pollution in the Pazarsuyu stream of Giresun province and the protective role of lycopene against the toxicity caused by this pollution were investigated using the Allium test. Germination percentage, root length and weight gain as physiological markers of toxicity; mitotic index (MI), micronucleus (MN) and chromosomal aberrations (CAs) as genetic markers of toxicity; malondialdehyde (MDA) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities as biochemical markers of toxicity, and meristematic cell damages were used as anatomical markers. For this aim Allium cepa L. bulbs were divided into six groups and germinated for 72 h with 215 mg/L and 430 mg/L doses of lycopene, tap water and stream water. Heavy metals pollution was analyzed with ICP-MS and Fe > Sr > Ba > Be > Mo > Li were determined according to the rate of presence in the water samples of Pazarsuyu. As a result, germination-related parameters and meristematic cell proliferation of bulbs germinated with Pazarsuyu water samples decreased significantly. Germination percentage, root length and weight gain of the group treated with Pazarsuyu water samples were decreased 50%, 73% and 68%, respectively compared to control. In addition, MN and CAs frequencies, indicating the genotoxic effects, were increased and significant abnormalities were detected in MDA, SOD and CAT levels, which indicate the deterioration of antioxidant/oxidant balance. CA observed with high frequency was also confirmed by DNA fragmentation determined by the Comet test. Stream water application promoted anatomical damages such as epidermis and cortex cell damage, accumulation of some substances in cortex cells, flattened cell nucleus and non-apparent appearance of conduction tissue in root tip meristem cells. All these abnormalities observed in A. cepa root tip cells were associated with the presence of heavy metals in the water samples. Simultaneous application of lycopene with stream water reduced the effects of heavy metals and resulted in a dose-dependent improvement in all parameters studied. Lycopene application showed a protective role by providing an increase in germination parameters and MI, decrease in MN and CAs frequencies, and improvements in MDA, SOD and CAT activities. As a result, heavy metals detected in the water samples of Pazarsuyu stream caused multiple toxicities in the bio-indicator plant, and lycopene reduced this toxicity and recorded a protective role.

Одуванчик лекарственный Taraxacum officinale L. как перспективный инструмент биодиагностики состояния городской среды

The need to expand the list of organisms used in environmental biodiagnostics arises from the variety of pollutants and types of man-made effects on the biosphere. The choice of available test organism should be based on easily detectable and differentiable sensitivity to factors, high reproducibility of seed material, alignment of the genetic line used by the gene pool and phenotype. The paper presents the results of the soil contamination of urban agglomeration study by the bioindication and biotesting method using a dandelion as a bioindicator plant and a test organism. Within the study, the generation of dandelion was obtained and investigated for applicability in biotesting. During the first stage of the study, soil samples were taken in the influence zone of VOAO Khimprom and near the 2nd Prodol’naya avenue of Volgograd. Germination of dandelion seeds showed noticeable differences in growth rates both in comparison with control and in comparison, of prototypes with each other. At the end of the first stage, numerous apomictic seed offspring were obtained to excrete the aligned genetic lineage of test organisms. The expansion of the list of contaminated locations by counting the territories adjacent to the VMK Krasnyi Oktyabr’ showed the detected differentiated physiological reaction of test organisms grown in experimental soil samples. The results of the study confirm the postulate on soil contamination of urban locations with physiologically active pollutants and also characterize the used plant as a sensitive and easily reproducible test organism under artificial conditions. During the two-year experiment the possibility of selecting the genetic lineage Taraxacum officinale with predictable and monotonous properties was proved due to the tendency of this species to apomixis.

Validation of soil quality index in soil using bioindicator plant

Soils provide a broad set of vital ecosystem services and sustains the production of food and fibers, balancing the ecosystem. Thus, from the perspective of soil quality, it is defined as an ability to balance within the ecosystem to sustain biological productivity, promoting the health of plants and animals, being evaluated by traditional indicators as physical, chemical and biological indicators, so the present work aims to estimate the soil quality index using multivariate models using soil biological attributes and validation with growth variables of the bioindicator plant. The study was developed in the agricultural area in P. Prudente, SP, the points collected were georeferenced, collections in depth of 0 -20 cm, microbiological analysis, microbial carbon and nitrogen biomass, dehydrogenase, respiration and microbial coefficient, having a bioindicator plant curly lettuce (Lucy Brown) as a validator of the soil. The results were discovered using the PCA model for the identification of autos vectors and autos values, grouping and identifying their collinearities, linear regression, r-pearson validation and cluster heuristic analysis. The microbial attributes and the bioindicator plant discriminated the agricultural areas evaluated with establishment and validation of SQI. The metabolic coefficient and N of the microbial biomass dissipation of the highest covariance values by multivariate analysis. The reforestation area with native species (SQI0.782%) and the livestock crop integration system (SQI0.765%) were evaluated as areas with better soil quality

Fitorremediation of contaminated soil with 2,4-D + picloram in Eastern Amazonia

The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu and Panicum maximum cv. Mombasa in phytoremediation of soil treated with 2,4-D + picloram herbicide, using Raphanus sativus Crimson Gigante as a bioindicator plant. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, in a completely randomized design in two stages. In the first stage the treatments were: cultivation of U. brizantha and P. maximum treated with and without the herbicide dose, with five replications. In the second stage, the treatments consisted of cultivating R. sativus in soil: free of herbicide residue; and soil contaminated with cultivation: prior to U. brizantha; P. maximum; and without previous cultivation of grass, with five replications. The units were treated with the herbicide, individually in pre-emergence, after 15 days the grasses were sown. After 50 days, forages were harvested and segregated in aerial and root parts, analyzing fresh and dry biomass (g) and height (cm). After removing phytoremediation plants, R. sativus was transplanted, evaluating visual phytotoxicity at 5, 10, 15 and 20 days after emergence (DAE) and at 20 DAE, the accumulation of green and dry matter (g), height (cm). The evaluated grasses have phytoremediation characteristics for auxinic herbicides; R. sativus can be used as a bioindicator of the herbicide 2,4-D + picloram; the evaluated period was not enough to fully remove the effects of the herbicide.

Ecological indicators and bioindicator plant species for biomonitoring industrial pollution: Eco-based environmental assessment

Industrial pollution remains a driving force to ecosystem alteration. Pollutants are released in the atmosphere interacting in turn with other components of earth system such as plant species. Despite the long-term exposition of vegetation cover to pollution is drastically devastating, less is known about the contribution of ecological indicators for its monitoring. The aims of this study are (i) to introduce the ecological indicators in assessing the cement dust impact on plant species and its biomonitoring and (ii) to screen new indicator species for phytoremediation studies. Floristic surveys were conducted in the cement plant closeness following quadrat method. Vegetation indicators such as total plant cover, perennial and annual species densities and diversity were assessed. Bioindicator species were identified using the bioaccumulation factor (BF) and translocation factor (TF). A decrease of perennial species richness and a decline of total vegetation cover by 7 times as well as a diversity decrease ranging from 2.99 to 2.31 were found pertinent indicators of land degradation in the industrial area. Annual species densities were significantly affected by cement pollution. Species like Lygeum spartum, Atractylis serratuloides and Gymnocarpos decander arise as indicators of heavy metals pollution. Pollution in the cement plant vicinity excluded sensitive species like Helianthemum kahiricum, Stipa tenassissima, Plantago coronopus. This study allowed the identification of indicator species of potential use in phytoremediation applications and emphasized the possibility of relaying on the vegetation indicators to assess the impact of cement pollution.

Streptomyces pactum addition to contaminated mining soils improved soil quality and enhanced metals phytoextraction by wheat in a green remediation trial

Streptomyces pactum (Act12), an agent of a gentle in situ remediation approach, has been recently used in few works in phytoextraction trials; however, the impact of Act12 on soil quality and metal phytoavailability has not been assessed in multi-metal contaminated soils. Consequently, here we assessed the potential impact of Act12 on the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth, antioxidants activity, and the metal bioavailability in three industrial and mining soils collected from China and contained up to 118, 141, 339, and 6625 mg Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn kg−1 soil, respectively. The Act12 was applied at 0 (control), 0.75 (Act-0.75), 1.50 (Act-1.5), and 2.25 (Act-2.25) g kg−1 (dry weight base) to the three soils; thereafter, the soils were cultivated with wheat (bio-indicator plant) in a pot experiment. The addition of Act12 (at Act-1.5 and Act-2.25) promoted wheat growth in the three soils and significantly increased the content of Cd, Cu, and Zn in the roots and shoots and Pb only in the roots (up to 121%). The Act12-induced increase in metals uptake by wheat might be attributed to the associated decrease in soil pH and/or the increase of metal chelation and production of indole acetic acid and siderophores. The Act12 significantly decreased the antioxidant activities and lipid peroxidation in wheat, which indicates that Act12 may mitigate metals stress in contaminated soils. Enhancing metals phytoextraction using Act12 is a promising ecofriendly approach for phytoremediation of metal-contaminated mining soils that can be safely utilized with non-edible plants and/or bioenergy crops.

Physiological and productive traits of soybean with metsulfuron-methyl application at early desiccation

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of metsulfuron-methyl rates, applied at different times, on the physiological and productive traits of soybean (Glycine max) in two crop years, in field conditions, using cucumber (Cucumis sativus) as a bioindicator plant, in greenhouse conditions. The experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block, in a 4x5 factorial arrangement, with four replicates. Factor A was the herbicide application time (45, 30, 15, and 0 days before soybean sowing, DBS), and factor B was the metsulfuron-methyl rate (0, 3.6, 5.4, 7.2, and 9.0 g ha-1 a.i.). The following variables were evaluated: phytotoxicity, gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence, and yield components. The highest phytotoxicity in soybean plants is observed after the use of the highest rate of metsulfuron-methyl and with sowing at 0 DBS. The electron transport rate drastically reduces with an increasing metsulfuron-methyl rate and sowing proximity, whereas non-photochemical quenching, acting as a defense mechanism, increases in soybean plants exposed to a herbicide carryover of up to 5.4 g ha-1. Metsulfuron-methyl carryover reduces soybean 1,000-grain weight and productivity as a function of application rate and sowing period. For the cucumber plants, negative effects on physiological traits were also verified. An interval of more than 45 days is recommended for sowing soybean after metsulfuron-methyl application for desiccation.

Leaching of 2,4-d and atrazine herbicides in red-yellow latosol

The intensive use of herbicides has increased the possibility of environmental contamination and the accumulation of pesticide residues in soil and water. This work aimed to evaluate the leaching potential of 2,4-D and atrazine herbicides in red yellow Latosol with a clayey texture. The experimental design was entirely randomized, in factorial 5x3 (five doses of each herbicide for three soil depths). The doses used were 1.25, 2.50, 6.25 and 12.50 L ha-1 for the 2.4-D herbicide and 2.25, 4.50, 11.25 and 22.50 L ha-1 for the atrazine herbicide (plus absolute witnesses). The herbicides were applied in buried pvc tubes to the soil and after accumulated rainfall of 87 mm, cucumber was grown as a bio indicator plant. The plant phytotoxicity, plant height, dry mass accumulation and leaf area where the evaluations were performed at 21 days after the sowing of the cucumber were analyzed. The 2.4-D herbicide didn`t present significant difference between treatments for the plant phytotoxicity variable, however, there was difference between treatments for plant height and dry mass. For leaf area, the difference was observed only for soil depths. Atrazine herbicide also showed no difference between treatments for plant phytotoxicity, but there was a difference between treatments and soil depths for the other variables. Under the conditions evaluated, 2,4-D and atrazine herbicides can leach into clayey soil regardless of the dose used and can reach up to 30 cm depth.

Potencial alelopático de bioextratos dos resíduos da cana-de-açúcar no controle de bidens pilosa e taraxacum officinale

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o potencial alelopático de resíduos da cana-de-açúcar utilizando bioensaios na germinação de sementes e crescimento de plantas daninhas e plantas bioindicadoras. As doses do bioextratode palha da cana-de-açúcar estimulou o comprimento da parte aérea das plantas daninhas (dente-de-leão epicão-preto) e inibiu o seu percentual de germinação. As doses de palha da cana-de-açúcar podem inibir ou estimular o desenvolvimento das espécies em estudo. As espécies foram inibidas quando pulverizado o pó da palha da cana-de-açúcar em todas as variáveis analisadas. Com os resultados deste estudo, verifica-se a necessidade da continuação deste trabalho, onde poderá ser isolado e identificado o composto fitoquímico de interesse do pó da palha e do bioextrato da palha de cana-de-açúcar, sendo utilizado como controle natural nas fases de germinação e/ou desenvolvimento de plântula ou planta de espécies daninhas (dente-de-leão e picãopreto).

Leaching potential of the herbicide mixture 2,4-D + picloram

Weed control strategies are fundamental to ensure pasture productivity and quality in Brazil. However, care must be taken in the use of long residual herbicides, which can increase the risk of leaching. From this context, the present study evaluates the leaching potential of the commercial mixture of herbicides 2,4-D + picloram. Leaching columns filled with loam-clay-sandy soil were used. The columns were0.6 m in length and 0.2 m in diameter. The experimental design was randomized blocks with eight replications. Treatments were arranged in a 5x2 factorial scheme, in which factor A corresponds to herbicide doses (0, 1, 2, 3 and, 4 L ha -1 ) and factor B corresponds to the position of herbicides in the columns (0-30 cm and 30-60 cm depth). After herbicide application, weekly rainfall of 60 mm was simulated for four weeks at the top of the columns. The columns were sectioned vertically giving rise to two section, which were separated into two portions (0-30 cm and 30-60 cm). Then, cucumber was sown as a bioindicator in the 0-30 cm and 30-60 cm layers. At 45 days after sowing, the following parameters were deter­mined: chlorophyll a fluorescence transient, shoot length, root length, and total dry weight of plants. Both the chlo­rophyll fluorescence data and the biometric data of the bioindicator plant showed the presence of the commercial mixture only in the first 30 cm of depth. It is concluded that 2,4-D + picloram remained in the 0-30 cm deep layer of the loam--clay-sandy soil after 240 mm rainfall.

Molecular Characterization and Identification of Calnexin 1 As a Radiation Biomarker from Tradescantia BNL4430.

Calnexin (CNX) is an integral membrane protein that functions as a chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum for the correct folding of proteins under stress conditions, rendering organisms tolerant under adverse conditions. Studies have investigated the cytogenetic effects of gamma irradiation (Ɣ-IR) on plants, but information on the molecular response under Ɣ-IR remains limited. Previously, we constructed a cDNA library of an irradiation-sensitive bioindicator plant, Tradescantia BNL4430 (T-4430) under Ɣ-IR, in which the Calnexin-1 gene was highly upregulated at 50 mGy treatment. TrCNX1 encodes a 61.4 kDa protein with conserved signature motifs similar to already reported CNX1s. TrCNX1 expression was evaluated by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and quantitative real-time PCR and was ubiquitously expressed in various tissues and highly upregulated in flower petals under 50 mGy Ɣ-IR stress. The protective function of TrCNX1 was investigated by overexpression of TrCNX1 in an Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) heterologous system. Using plate assay, we showed that TrCNX1 increased the viability of E. coli transformants under both UV-B and Ɣ-IR compared with the control, demonstrating that TrCNX1 functions under irradiation stress. TrCNX1 may enhance irradiation stress tolerance in crops and act as a radio marker gene to monitor the effects of radiation.

Integrating Biochemical, Morpho-physiological, Nutritional, and Productive Responses to Cd Accumulation in Massai Grass Employed in Phytoremediation

Cadmium (Cd) phytoextraction efficiency basically depends on Cd accumulation in their tissues. Thus, our aim in this study was to select biochemical, morpho-physiological, nutritional, and productive responses associated to Cd accumulation in the roots, stems and sheaths, and leaf blades of Panicum maximum cv. Massai (Massai grass), using the random forests analysis. Massai grass was exposed to combinations of three sulfur (S) concentrations (0.1, 1.9, and 3.7 mmol L−1) and two Cd concentrations (0.0 and 0.1 mmol L−1) in nutrient solutions. The dry biomass production of Massai grass exposed to Cd decreased by around 50% in relation to control. However, there were no visual symptoms of Cd toxicity in the shoot of this plant, even with Cd concentrations in their shoot exceeding 100 mg kg−1 DW. The lowest dry biomass production of the plants exposed to Cd combined with the absence of visual symptoms of Cd toxicity indicates us that Massai grass is a bioindicator plant that can greatly cope with the Cd-induced stress, but in a little bit different way from other plants. Antioxidant enzymes apparently are not essential for Massai grass cope with Cd-induced stress, differently of other mechanisms (e.g., higher synthesis of thiol compounds and amino acids involved on reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and Cd chelation). Probably, the plant responses that most explained Cd accumulation in Massai grass can be used to identify grasses with high capacity to accumulate Cd in phytoremediation programs with this group of plants.

Effect of biochars on the bioavailability of cadmium and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate to Brassica chinensis L. in contaminated soils

Soil co-contamination of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and phthalate esters has become prominent due to its potential adverse effect on human food supply. There is limited information on using wood- and animal-derived biochars for the remediation of co-contaminated soils. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted using Brassica chinensis L. as a bio-indicator plant to investigate the effect of P. orientalis biochar and pig biochar application on the bioavailability of cadmium (Cd) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and on plant physiological parameters (malondialdehyde, proline and soluble sugars). Biochar materials were applied to two soils containing low (LOC) and high (HOC) organic carbon content at rates of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4%. To better understand the influence of biochar, physicochemical properties and X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), Fourier transform-infrared spectrometry (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were characterized. Biochar application increased soil pH, organic carbon content, and available phosphorus content. Increasing biochar application rates decreased DTPA-extractable Cd and extractable DEHP concentrations in both soils. Biochar application reduced the plant uptake of both Cd and DEHP from co-contaminated soils; the maximum reduction of Cd (92.7%) and DEHP (52.0%) was observed in 2% pig biochar-treated LOC soil. The responses of plant physiological parameters to increased biochar applications indicated that less Cd and DEHP were taken up by plants. Pig biochar was more effective (P < 0.05) at reducing the bioavailability of Cd and DEHP in both soils than P. orientalis biochar; therefore, pig biochar had greater potential for improving the quality of the crop. However, the highest application rate (4%) of pig biochar restricted plant seed germination. Key factors influencing the bioavailability of Cd and DEHP in soils were soil organic carbon content, biochar properties (such as surface alkalinity, available phosphorus content and ash content) and biochar application rates.

Liming on picloram leaching in dystrophic Red Yellow Latosol

ABSTRACT The practice of liming may influence the leaching of herbicides in soils, especially those with weak acid character, such as picloram. The study on leaching, preserving soil structure, is an important factor when one intends to understand the dynamics of herbicides and environmental impacts. Thus, the effect of liming on picloram leaching in a dystrophic Red Yellow Latosol under field conditions was studied using a bioindicator plant. The experiment was set up in a completely randomized design (CRD), in split-plot scheme, with factorial in the plot. The factors of the plot corresponded to two soil conditions (presence and absence of liming) and 5 picloram concentrations (0; 384; 768; 1152; 1536 g ha-1), and the factor of the subplot was 5 soil depths (0-8, 8-16, 16-24, 24-32 and 32-40 cm), with four replicates. Pipes were introduced into the soil and, in part of the treatments, limestone was applied superficially. After ninety days, the different doses of picloram were applied on the surface of each pipe and these pipes were withdrawn after an accumulated rainfall of 128 mm, to perform the bioassay using cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus). Evaluations of plant development (phytotoxicity and shoot biomass) were carried out 21 days after sowing. It was concluded that picloram showed high leaching rate under all studied conditions and liming increased picloram leaching at doses lower than 768 g ha-1.

Winter Species Promote Phytoremediation of Soil Contaminated with Protox-Inhibiting Herbicides

ABSTRACT: Phytoremediation comprises one of the main forms of decontamination of organic and inorganic substances in the soil, being economically viable and with a low environmental impact. The aim of this study was to verify the efficiency of winter plant species in the phytoremediation of soil contaminated with fomesafen and sulfentrazone using cucumber as an indicator species to the presence of residue. The experimental design was a completely randomized design arranged in a 6 x 4 factorial scheme with four replications for each herbicide. Factor A consisted of the phytoremediator species black oats, garden vetch, radish, bird’s-foot trefoil, white lupine, and a treatment without prior cultivation. Factor B, on the other hand, consisted of the doses of fomesafen (0.000, 0.125, 0.250, and 0.500 kg h-1) or sulfentrazone (0.000, 0.300, 0.600 and 1,200 kg ha-1) applied in crop pre-emergence. At 45 days after sowing, the phytoremediator species were cut close to the soil. Subsequently, the bioindicator species of herbicide residues in the soil (cucumber) was sown in the pot. Phytotoxicity of herbicides to cucumber plants was assessed at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after emergence (DAE). At 28 DAE, leaf area, height, and dry matter were determined in the bioindicator plant. Fomesafen and sulfentrazone doses interfered negatively with the assessed variables of cucumber when cultivated in succession to phytoremediator species. Cucumber phytotoxicity increased for all potential phytoremediator species as fomesafen and sulfentrazone doses increased. Sulfentrazone residues promoted the highest toxic effects on the bioindicator plant when compared to fomesafen. In general, black oats, radish, and white lupine were the species with the highest capacity to phytoremediate soil contaminated with fomesafen and sulfentrazone when applying the dose and twice the recommended doses of the herbicides.

Leaching of Imidazolinones in Irrigation Systems in Rice Cultivation: Sprinkling and Flooding

ABSTRACT: Herbicides of the imidazolinone group have been used in irrigated rice and presented a long persistence in the soil, especially in floodplain areas with a low drainage, and could cause environmental contamination. This study aims to evaluate the leaching and residual of herbicides belonging to the imidazolinone group in sprinkler and flood irrigation systems. The experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions, with the application of the herbicides imazethapyr, imazethapyr + imazapic, and imazapyr + imazapic in soil irrigated by flooding and sprinkling. Subsequently, the soil was collected from the layers of 0-5, 5-10, 10-15, 15-20, and 20-25 cm and packed in 500 mL capacity plastic pots in order to sow tomato as a bioindicator plant of the presence of the herbicides belonging to the imidazolinones. Phytotoxicity, length, and shoot dry matter mass of tomato plants were evaluated at 10 and 20 days after emergence. The herbicides of the imidazolinone chemical group presented a high potential for leaching and persistence with effects for more than 180 days after application. Based on the symptoms presented by the sensitive crop, the degradation of imazethapyr, imazethapyr + imazapic, and imazapyr + imazapic in the 0-15 cm layers was higher in soil with sprinkler irrigation when compared to flood irrigation. Thus, non-flooded soils present a greater capacity to degrade the herbicides belonging to the imidazolinone chemical group.