Concentrations In Different Parts Research Articles

Comparing the Effects of Lime Soil and Yellow Soil on Cadmium Accumulation in Rice during Grain-Filling and Maturation Periods

The karst area has become a high-risk area for Cadmium (Cd) exposure. Interestingly, the high levels of Cd in soils do not result in an excessive bioaccumulation of Cd in rice. Carbonate rock dissolution ions (CRIs) could limit the accumulation and translocation of Cd in rice. CRIs can become a major bottleneck in the remediation and management of farmlands in karst areas. However, there is limited research on the effects of CRIs in soils on Cd accumulation in rice. The karst area of lime soil (LS) and the non-karst areas of yellow soil (YS) were collected, and an external Cd was added to conduct rice cultivation experiments. Cd and CRIs (Ca2+, Mg2+, CO32−/HCO3−, and OH−) in the rice–soil system were investigated from the grain-filling to maturity periods. The results showed that CRIs of LS were significantly higher than that of YS in different treatments. CRIs of LS were 2.05 mg·kg−1 for Ca2+, 0.90 mg·kg−1 for Mg2+, and 42.29 mg·kg−1 for CO32− in LS. CRIs could influence DTPA Cd, resulting in DTPA Cd of LS being lower than that of YS. DTPA Cd of YS was one to three times larger than that of YS. Cd content in different parts of rice in YS was higher than that of LS. Cd in rice grains of YS was one to six times larger than that of LS. The uptake of Cd from the soil during Filling III was critical in determining rice Cd accumulation. CRIs in the soil could affect Cd accumulation in rice. Ca2+ and Mg2+ had significant negative effects on Cd accumulation of rice at maturity and filling, respectively. CO32−/HCO3− and OH− had significant negative effects on DTPA Cd in soil.

Effects of Four Amendments on Cadmium Bioavailability and Enzyme Activity in Purple Soil

In this study, the effects of four types of amendments on effective Cd and Cd content in different parts of prickly ash soil and soil enzyme activity were studied, which provided scientific basis for acidification improvement of purple soil and heavy metal pollution control. A field experiment was conducted. Six treatments were set up:no fertilizer (CK), only chemical fertilizer (F), lime + chemical fertilizer (SF), organic fertilizer + chemical fertilizer (OM), biochar + chemical fertilizer (BF), and vinasse biomass ash + chemical fertilizer (JZ). Soil pH; available Cd (DTPA-Cd); Cd content in branches, leaves, shells, and seeds of Zanthoxylum; as well as the activities of catalase (S-CAT), acid phosphatase (S-ACP), and urease (S-UE) in different treatments were studied, and their relationships were clarified. The results showed following:① The two treatments of vinasse biomass ash + chemical fertilizer and lime + chemical fertilizer significantly increased soil pH (P < 0.05) to 3.39 and 2.25 units higher than that in the control, respectively. Compared with that in the control treatment, the content of available Cd in soil under vinasse biomass ash + chemical fertilizer and lime + chemical fertilizer treatment decreased by 28.91 % and 20.90 %, respectively. ② The contents of Cd in leaves, shells, and seeds of Zanthoxylum were decreased by 31.33 %, 30.24 %, and 34.01 %, respectively. The Cd enrichment ability of different parts of Zanthoxylum was different, with the specific performances being leaves > branches > seeds > shells. Compared with that of the control, the enrichment coefficient of each part of Zanthoxylum treated with vinasse biomass ash + chemical fertilizer decreased significantly(P < 0.05)by 27.54 %-40.0 %. ③ The changes in catalase and urease activities in soil treated with amendments were similar. Compared with those in the control group, the above two enzyme activities were significantly increased by 191.26 % and 199.50 %, respectively, whereas the acid phosphatase activities were decreased by 16.45 %. Correlation analysis showed that soil available Cd content was significantly negatively correlated with soil pH value(P < 0.01), S-CAT and S-UE enzyme activities were significantly positively correlated with soil pH(P < 0.01), and the soil available Cd content was significantly negatively correlated (P < 0.01); the S-ACP enzyme showed the complete opposite trends. The application of lime and vinasse biomass ash to acidic purple soil had the most significant effect on neutralizing soil acidity. It was an effective measure to improve acidic purple soil and prevent heavy metal pollution by reducing the effective Cd content in soil and improving the soil environment while inhibiting the absorption and transfer of Cd in various parts of Zanthoxylum.

Zinc fertilization effect on macro and micro-nutrients concentrations and uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) seasons of 2013–14 and 2014–15 at New Delhi, to find out the effect of zinc (Zn) fertilization on concentration and uptake of macro and micro-nutrients in high-yield ing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties. Treatments comprised 6 high-yielding varieties of wheat in the main plots and 5 Zn management treatments as sub-plots. Results indicated that nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and po tassium (K) content in different parts of wheat varieties was found in the order of grain > straw > spike straw, grain > spike straw > straw and straw > spike straw > grain, respectively. However the concentration of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) was found in order of straw > spike straw > grain and straw > grain > spike straw respectively. With respect to nutrients, the highest N (2.28%), P (3,711.6 mg/kg), K (0.48%), Zn (40.6 mg/kg), Fe (124.8 mg/kg) and Mn (33.7 mg/kg) contents were registered in grain of ‘HD 2967’, ‘HD 2967’, ‘HD 2687’, ‘HD 2851’, ‘HD 2687’ and ‘HD 2894’, respectively. The concentration of macro and micro-nutrients were recorded statistically identical in different treatments of Zn fertilization. However, significant increase in macro and micro-nutrients uptake was registered due to Zn fertilization and the highest uptake of nutrients was recorded with application of 1.25 kg Zn/ha through Zn-EDTA + 0.5% foliar spray of Zn-EDTA at maximum tillering and booting stages. Thus, soil (1.25 kg Zn/ ha) + foliar (0.5%) application of Zn-EDTA was found superior with respect to macro and micro-nutrients uptake.

Total phenolic content, phytochemical profile and cytotoxic effects of endemic Alyssum floribundum (Brassicaceae) from Turkey

Alyssum genus has many ethnobotanical uses due to the bioactive compounds it contains (glucosinolates, hydrocarbons, fatty acids and phenolic compounds, etc.). The objective of this study was to assess the total phenolic content, potential bioactive components and cytotoxic effects of ethanol extracts obtained from different parts (root, stem and leaf) of Alyssum floribundum. The Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method was utilized to measure the total phenolic content of all extracts. The total phenolic content of different parts A. floribundum were 12.6 ± 02, 8.2 ± 1.2 and 4.9 ± 0.8 mg GAE/g, respectively. The bioactive compounds of different parts A. floribundum were shown by employing gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and were identified to contain 30 different chemical components in all parts of the plant. The cytotoxic effect was evaluated using the xCELLigence method on the DU-145 prostate cancer cell line. The root, stem and leaf extracts of A. floribundum displayed the strongest cytotoxicity against the DU-145 prostate cancer cell act in a dose-dependent manner after 24 and 48 h with IC50 values of various concentrations after 24 and 48 h were calculated and determined as 192.1–157.4 µg/mL, 29.12–26.93 µg/mL and 226.4–80.23 µg/mL, respectively.

Phenolics and flavonoids from Polygonum posumbu and comparision of flavonoid compounds content in different tissues (leaves, stems and roots)

The growing global need for antioxidative phenolics and flavonoids for maintenance of human health resulted into search of new sustainable unexplored medicinal plants used by the traditional healers for various ailments. Many synthetic based products of phenolics and flavonoids have been used, however the demand of eco-friendly, natural herbal based products are increasing. As a result, the current study aims to explore traditional potential of Polygonum posumbu related to its phenolics and flavonoids. Optimization of extraction parameters were employed which includes: solvent selection (water, ethanol, methanol, acetone and ethyl acetate), ethanol composition (40–100%), solvent to sample ratio (30–70 ml/g), temperature (50–80 °C) and time (1–5 h). Under optimal conditions, total phenolics (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC), the extract yield (EY) and antioxidant activities of leaves extract were 162.79 ± 2.28 mg GAE/g, 56.57 ± 6.22 mg QE/g 27.96 ± 0.91%, and 27.34 ± 0.98 μg/ml respectively. Seven flavonoids were quantified in different tissues with significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences found in flavonoids contents in different parts of the plant. Highest concentration of flavonoids was observed in stems: (−)-epicatechin-53.19 ± 1.13 mg/g, myricetin-15.90 ± 0.13 mg/g, quercetin-50.66 ± 0.08 mg/g, luteolin-43.10 ± 0.47 mg/g, apigenin-16.73 ± 0.43 mg/g. Leaves and roots had the highest amount of genistein (05.06 ± 0.01 mg/g) and kaempferol (11.13 ± 0.06 mg/g) respectively. From the study it had been found that Polygonum posumbu possess a very good amount of phenolics and flavonoids and this study details first ever investigation on this plant in terms of phenolics and flavonoids. Therefore, this study enhanced the importance of this bioresource in functional food or nutraceutical industries.

Content and distribution of cyanogenic compounds in cassava roots and leaves in association with physiological age.

Cassava roots are widely consumed in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Although the protein, vitamin, carotenoid, and mineral content in the leaves makes them a nutritionally attractive option, their consumption is limited due to their high levels of cyanogenic compounds (CCs). In this study, the CC content in different parts of the plant (leaves, storage root cortex, and parenchyma) was assessed at harvest for 50 landrace genotypes representative of cassava diversity in Latin America. The changes in CC in leaves at different physiological ages (3, 6, 9, and 11 months after planting) were also investigated. The average CC was higher in the cortex (804 ppm) and leaves (655 ppm) than in root parenchyma (305 ppm). Genotypes from different regions of Latin America, as identified by seven genetic diversity groups, differed significantly in CC levels. The Andean and Amazon groups had, respectively, the lowest (P = 0.0008) and highest (P < 0.0001) CC levels in all three parts of the plants. Cyanogenic compound concentrations were higher in leaves from young plants (P < 0.0001) and decreased with increasing physiological age. The results help to guide the selection of parental lines with low CC levels for breeding and to contribute to the expanded use of cassava and its by-products for food and feed. Cassava for fresh consumption, especially, requires varieties with low total CC content, especially in the root cortex and parenchyma. COL1108 (204, 213, and 174 ppm, respectively, in the parenchyma, cortex, and leaves) and PER297 (83, 238, and 299 ppm, respectively, in the parenchyma, cortex, and leaves) can fulfill this requirement. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

The Relationship Between Total Phenol, Total Flavonoid, and IC50 Contents of Different Parts of Satureja thymbra and Nutrient Elements

The goal of this study is to investigate the variations in certain quality parameters, including total antioxidant activity, total phenol and total flavonoid contents, of various organs, including inflorescences, leaves and stems, of the Satureja thymbra plant, which grows naturally in the Kaş district of Antalya. Also, the relationship between these quality parameters and the nutrient content of the plant was revealed. The free radical (DPPH) was used to determine the antiradical scavenging activities of extracts prepared from various parts of the plant. The concentration of the antioxidant compound that can cause a 50 % loss in DPPH free radical activity is expressed by the IC50 value. S. thymbra leaf extracts have higher antiradical scavenging activity (IC50 = 0.11 mg dw/mg-DPPH), total phenol (38.79 mg GAE/g), and total flavonoid (29.0 mg/g) content than extracts of other plant components.

Ecological restoration reduces mercury in corn kernel and the distinction of mercury in corn plants in rural China – A case in Wuchuan mercury mining area

Corn is a crucial crop in China and is widely cultivated in the mercury (Hg) mining region of Guizhou. This study analyzed the Hg content in soil and corn plant samples from the Wuchuan Hg mining area (WCMA) and the surrounding non-Hg mining regions (SNMR). The findings suggest that ongoing ecological rehabilitation and environmental conservation measures in the WCMA have significantly decreased the Hg content in corn kernels. The Hg concentration in different parts of the corn plant varied, being higher in the roots, tassels, and leaves and lower in kernels and stalks. Hg stored in corn plant growing in the WCMA primarily originates from the soil (55.4%), while in the SNMR, it mainly comes from the atmosphere (74.9%). Despite counted only about 7% of the total plant mass, corn roots play a crucial role in soil Hg pollution remediation when corn is used for remediation. Household corn residues burning release about 58.5% and 66.9% of the stored Hg in corn plants growing in the WCMA and the SNMR, respectively, into the atmosphere. Our findings indicate that corn cultivation acts as a reservoir for both soil and atmospheric Hg in the SNMR, while in the WCMA, it serves as a source of atmospheric Hg.

Combined application of biochar and metal-tolerant bacteria alleviates cadmium toxicity by modulating the antioxidant defense mechanism and physicochemical attributes in rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown in cadmium-contaminated soil

Agricultural soil contamination by heavy metal (cadmium) is a widespread issue and causes deleterious effects on crops. One of the most effective and ecofriendly methods for cadmium detoxification is microbe-assisted phytoremediation and soil amendment with biochar. The current study investigated the combined effect of biochar (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) and microbes (Bacillus cereus strain B2) in alleviating cadmium toxicity in rice grown in cadmium-contaminated soil (0, 10, 15, and 20 mg/kg). Results revealed that cadmium caused damage to plant health. Maximum reduction in plant biomass, gas exchange parameters, and chlorophyll content was observed on cadmium 20 mg/kg. As compared with the sole application of biochar (2 %) and microbes, the greatest plant height (33.68%), photosynthetic rate (23.52 %), stomatal conductance (48.93 %), water use efficiency (21.41 %), transpiration rate (58.87 %), chlorophyll a (74.81 %), chlorophyll b (31.28 %), total chlorophyll (60.53 %), and carotenoids (26.97 %) were recorded with combined application of biochar and microbes. Similarly, superoxidase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and absorbate peroxidase (APX) activity was significantly boosted by combined application of microbes and biochar (2 %), which were 33.90 %, 24.18 %, 51.70 %, and 19.06 %, respectively, while significant reduction was found in the ROS (16.60 %), (20.06 %) and MDA (26.08 %) content in rice plants. However, cadmium concentrations in different parts of plant were decreased at higher concentrations of biochar (2 %) with microbes. These findings indicate that combined application of Bacillus cereus strain B2 and biochar could be a promising strategy for reducing rice crop cadmium toxicity and boosting its growth, physiology, and defense system efficiently as compared with sole application.

Characteristics and evaluation of heavy metal pollution in a soil–wheat system of an arid oasis city in northwest China

In this paper, the Cu and Ni accumulation and contamination levels in agricultural soils and wheat around a smelter in Jinchang City in northwest China were investigated with a combination of field investigations and indoor analytical tests, using a soil–wheat system as the study area. The average Cu and Ni contents in the soil were 119.50 mg kg–1 and 123.40 mg kg–1, respectively, both of which exceeded the local soil background values. The Cu and Ni contents in 46.15% o and 26.92% of sampling sites, respectively, exceeded the screening values for soil contamination risk in agricultural land in China. The average Cu content in different parts of wheat was in the order of roots (24.22 mg kg–1) > leaves (20.11 mg kg–1) > husks (5.51 mg kg–1) > grains (4.05 mg kg–1) > stalks (3.74 mg kg–1). Furthermore, the average Ni content ranked as leaves (24.64 mg kg–1) > roots (21.12 mg kg–1) > husks (6.95 mg kg–1) > stalks (1.75 mg kg–1) > grains (0.38 mg kg–1). The health risk evaluation showed that with average hazard index values of 0.88 for adults and 1.04 for children for Cu and Ni in wheat grain, wheat in this region is unlikely to pose a health risk to adults but may pose a lesser health risk to children. The Ni bio–concentration and translocation factors in the husk and leaves of wheat were greater than those of Cu and smaller than those of Cu in the other parts of wheat. The results of this study provide basic data for the remediation of heavy metal contamination in local agricultural soils.

Multi-agent simulation of doughnut deep fat frying considering two domain heating media and sample flipping

Two domain heating media and sample flipping during processing were considered when developing an agent-based model to explain coupled heat and mass transfer phenomena during deep fat frying of doughnuts. The model was validated by comparing the moisture content, oil content and temperature profiles obtained from the experimental results with those obtained from the model. Results of this study showed that the water content of crumb raised to 60% (based on dry weight) whereas, it decreased to less than 10% in the case of doughnut crust during deep fat frying. Simulated profile of oil penetration illustrated that the oil content of different parts of crust were not equal and were affected by frying temperature and crust structure. In general, as the surface of doughnut (a porous material) was heated from the surface, evaporation zones were formed in the thinner parts of the crust and gradually formed oil penetrating areas. Moreover, experimental and simulated data indicated that flipping of samples in the middle of processing time had an important effect on heat and mass transfer during frying. Variation of thermophysical properties in each part of doughnut had a unique behavior. The changes in the density, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of crumb followed a sigmoid pattern; whereas, a dominant falling rate period with some variations was observed in crust. Moreover, any changes in moisture content and temperature of crust occurred faster than the crumb. The output of simulation was in a good agreement with the experimental data. With the power of simulation now available for design, the results of this study greatly improve the design of fried foods and frying processes.

Ratiometric luminescent sensor based on BSA-coated gold/silver nanoclusters for the selective determination and spatiotemporal imaging of gallic acid in plants.

Anewfluorescence sensing strategyhas been developed. Four bimetallic nanoclusters, gold/silver, gold/copper, gold/molybdenum and gold/cobalt, were prepared using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The fluorescence properties of four nanoclusters were explored by solid-state UV and XPS. The gold/silver nanoclusters (BSA-Au/Ag NCs) with the best ratiometric fluorescence properties for gallic acid (GA) in plants were selected to realize the sensitive detection of GA. GA affected the conformation of BSA, thereby disrupting the luminescent environment of the nanoclusters, resulting in a pronounced fluorescence quenching at 566nm. The ratiometric fluorescence signal (I566/I453) was used for trace detection of GAin plants. It has a wide response range of 1.25-40.0μM and a low detection limit of 45.27nM. GA was detected at 19.49μM in the plant extract, and the spiked recoveries ranged from 96.09 to 104.6%. In addition, due to the non-toxic and biocompatible properties of BSA, BSA-Au/Ag NCs have also been validated for fluorescence imaging of plant tissues. It realized the comparison of GA content in different parts of plants and the difference of GA content in plants after abiotic stress. Therefore, the developed strategy offers potential application for the analytical study of active substances in plants.

Influence of Nitrogen Supply on Growth, Antioxidant Capacity and Cadmium Absorption of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) Seedlings

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is considered suitable for the remediation of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated farmlands, because of its large biomass and resistance to Cd stress. The addition of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is an important measure used to increase crop yields, and it may also affect Cd accumulation in plants. To clarify the effects of different forms and concentrations of N on plant growth and Cd absorption in kenaf, a hydroponic experiment was conducted using three N forms (NH4+–N, NO3−–N and urea–N) at four concentrations (0, 2, 4 and 8 mM, 0 mM as control) under Cd stress (30 μM). The plant growth, the antioxidant enzyme activity and the Cd contents of various parts of the kenaf seedlings were measured. The results showed that the N form had the greatest impact on the growth of the kenaf and the absorption and transport of the Cd, followed by the interaction effect between the N type and the concentration. Compared to the control, the addition of N fertilizer promoted the growth of kenaf to varying degrees. Among all the treatments, the use of 2 mM of NO3−–N enhanced the biomass and Cd accumulation to the greatest extent compared to CK from 2.02 g to 4.35 g and 341.30 μg to 809.22 μg per plant, respectively. The NH4+–N significantly reduced the Cd contents of different parts but enhanced the translocation factors of Cd stem to root (TF S/R) and leaf to stem (TF L/S) by 34.29~78.57% and 45.10~72.55%, respectively. The peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities of the kenaf increased with the N treatments, especially with NH4+–N. Overall, applying low concentrations of NO3−–N can better promote the extraction of Cd by kenaf.

Macro- and Micronutrient Contents and Their Relationship with Growth in Six Eucalyptus Species

Knowing nutrient allocation dynamics in the tissues and the characteristics related to growth in different forest species is crucial to fertilization management and selecting better species for specific environments, ensuring greater fertilization efficiency and consequent sustainability in the forestry sector through the rational use of fertilizers. The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the content of macro- and micronutrients in different tissues of eucalyptus species and (ii) to relate them with their growth. The treatments were composed of six eucalyptus species (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh., Corymbia citriodora Hook., E. saligna Sm., E. grandis W. Hill ex Maiden, E. urograndis, and E. urophylla S. T. Blake). Macro- (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur) and micronutrient (boron, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc) contents were determined in the leaves, bark, and sapwood. To study the functional patterns in macro- and micronutrient contents, Canonical Variable Analysis (CVA) was performed. The first two canonical variables in nutrient content of leaves, bark, and sapwood and the growth variables of eucalyptus species accumulated values greater than 80% of variance. The species E. grandis and E. urograndis showed the highest means for volume and total height but showed no differences regarding the concentration of major elements in the tissues, except the iron content in the bark, which was higher compared to other species. CVA proved to be an excellent tool for understanding, identifying, and classifying the strategies of Eucalyptus sp. regarding the content of nutrients in the shoot biomass tissues and may support genetic improvement programs aiming at identifying potential species. Future research involving the use of remotely piloted aircraft and remote sensors could be a strategy to monitor nutrient contents in different parts of trees throughout the cycle of different eucalyptus species.

Selenium-Containing Organic Fertilizer Application Affects Yield, Quality, and Distribution of Selenium in Wheat.

This study was designed to investigate the effect on wheat yield of applying organic fertilizers (OF) with five different selenium (Se) concentrations. The mineral nutrients, cadmium (Cd) content, and the distribution of Se in wheat plants were also measured. The results showed that wheat yields reached a maximum of 9979.78 kg ha-1 in Mengcheng (MC) County and 8868.97 kg ha-1 in Dingyuan (DY) County, Anhui Province, China when the application amount of selenium-containing organic fertilizer (SOF) was up to 600 kg ha-1. Among the six mineral nutrients measured, only the calcium (Ca) content of the grains significantly increased with an increase in the application amount of SOF in the two regions under study. Cd content showed antagonistic effects with the Se content of wheat grains, and when the SOF was applied at 1200 kg ha-1, the Cd content of the grains was significantly reduced by 30.1% in MC and 67.3% in DY, compared with under the Se0 treatment. After application of SOF, the Se content of different parts of the wheat plant ranked root > grain > spike-stalk > glume > leaf > stem. In summary, SOF application at a suitable concentration could increase wheat yields and significantly promote the Ca content of the grains. Meanwhile, the addition of Se effectively inhibited the level of toxic Cd in the wheat grains.

Inoculation with Glomus mosseae: An Efficient Biological Management Strategy for Arsenic Mitigation in Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) Under Arsenic-Contaminated Soil

ABSTRACT A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on mitigation of arsenic (As) in As-contaminated soils with wheat (variety – HD 2967) as the test crop. Soil inbulk was collected from Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bihar,India farm with physicochemicalproperties to conduct a pot experiment using three doses of As (5, 10, 20 mg L−1) and application of Glomus mossaea inoculation (no inoculated, 5 g/pot, and 10 g/pot). Result indicated that the treatment spiked with As 5 ppm and Glomus mossaea @1 g kg−1 showedthe lowest available As (21.80 µg kg−1 soil) and lowest total As (2.533 mg kg−1soil) as compared to all othertreatments. The As content in different parts of plants are found in the orderof roots > shoots> leaves > grain parts in wheat crop. As uptake in grain was found to be positively correlated with available (r = 0.883, p < .001) and total As content in soil (r = 0.869, p < .001) as well. The application of AM fungi @10.0 g kg−1 soil significantly (p < .005) reduced the As content in grain under all the applied treatments. As content ingrain was found to be negatively correlated with total glomalin content of soil(r = –0.430, p < .005), colonization by AM fungi (r = –0.261) and available phosphorus (P) content of soil (r = –0.864, p < .001). The study noticeably indicated that the mycorrhizal inoculation can reduce the As content in the various parts of the wheat in As-contaminated soils.

Effects of Drought Stress on SOD Activity and Pro Content in Different Parts of Soybean Leaves

Background: Drought is the main restricted agent for growth and development of soybean and the physiological characteristics of different parts of soybean leaves changed significantly. Methods: To explore the impacts of drought stress on the physiological characteristics of leaves in different parts of soybean, in this study, Williams 82 was used as the experimental material and drought stress was simulated by a watering nutrient solution containing 10% PEG-6000. Under different treatment time conditions, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and proline (Pro) content in different parts of soybean leaves were determined. Result: The results indicate that the SOD activity and Pro content in the upper and bottom leaves of soybean increased significantly under drought stress conditions and with the increase in drought stress time, the SOD activity in the upper and bottom leaves of soybean increased first and then declined and the content of Pro increased gradually. In general, soybean relief drought damage by increasing SOD activity and Pro content under drought stress. This study offered the theoretical foundation for exploring the mechanism of soybean drought resistance.

Air pollution prediction using machine learning techniques – An approach to replace existing monitoring stations with virtual monitoring stations

Air pollution in the modern world is a matter of grave concern. Due to rapid expansion in commercial social, and economic aspects, the pollutant concentrations in different parts of the world continue to increase and disrupt human life. Thus, monitoring the pollutant levels is of primary importance to keep the pollutant concentrations under control. Regular monitoring enables the authorities to take appropriate measures in case of high pollution. However, monitoring the pollutant concentrations is not straightforward as it requires installing monitoring stations to collect the relevant pollutant data, which comes with high installation and maintenance costs. In this research, an attempt has been made to simulate the concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 at two sites in Stuttgart (Marienplatz and Am Neckartor) using Machine Learning methods. These pollutants are measured with the help of monitoring stations at these locations. Five Machine Learning methods, namely ridge regressor, support vector regressor, random forest, extra trees regressor, and xtreme gradient boosting, were adopted for this study. Meteorological parameters, traffic data, and pollutant information from nearby monitoring stations for the period from January 01, 2018 to 31.03.2022 were considered as inputs to model the pollutants. From the results, it was concluded that the pollutant information from the nearby stations has a significant effect in predicting the pollutant concentrations. Further, it was investigated if a similar methodology can be applied at other locations to estimate pollutant concentrations. This procedure was tested on the data of the monitoring station Karlsruhe-Nordwest which is located in another German city named Karlsruhe. The results demonstrated that this method is applicable in other areas as well.

Stilbene Content and Expression of Stilbene Synthase Genes in Korean Pine Pinus koraiensis Siebold &amp; Zucc

Stilbenes are a large group of plant phenolic compounds that have a wide range of biologically active properties, such as antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic effects. In plants, stilbenes are involved in the defense against environmental stresses, including fungal infections and insect attacks. The biosynthesis of stilbenes is well described for those plant species where resveratrol and its derivatives are the predominant stilbenes. However, there is little information on stilbene biosynthesis in the Pinaceae family, although the highest content of stilbenes was found in plants of this family. In this study, seasonal variations in stilbene compositions and contents in different parts of Pinus koraiensis was described (needles, bark, wood, young branches, and strobiles). HPLC-ESI-MS analysis showed the presence of seven stilbenes in P. koraiensis: t-astringin; t-piceid; cis-piceid; t-isorapontin; t-pinostilbenoside; t-resveratrol; and t-pinostilbene. Glycosylated and methylated forms of stilbenes, such as t-astringin, t-piceid, and t-pinostilbenoside, prevailed over other stilbenoids. The highest content of stilbenes was detected in the bark collected in spring and winter (up to 54.8 mg/g dry weight). The complete protein-coding sequences of three stilbene synthase genes, PkSTS1, PkSTS2, and PkSTS3, were obtained from the RNA isolated from the P. koraiensis needles. The expression of the PkSTS1, PkSTS2, and PkSTS3 genes was analyzed using real-time PCR and frequency analysis of cloned RT-PCR products in the needles of P. koraiensis collected in different seasons. Thus, we first analyzed stilbene biosynthesis in the different organs of pine P. koraiensis and PkSTS expression depending on the year seasons.

The accumulation of element and heavy metal concentrations in different parts of some carrot and radish types.

Vegetables, which are an important part of human nutrition, are very rich in minerals necessary for human health, and heavy metals can be found in vegetables at high rates because they can be easily taken by plant roots and leaves. In this study, the macro, micro element and heavy metal element concentrations accumulated in different parts of some carrot and radish types were investigated. The element concentrations in the samples were analyzed by Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES; Varian-Vista Model) equipment. P, K, Ca, Mg and S contents of the head of orange and black carrot samples were determined as 602.30 and 727.23mg/kg, 19,790.91 and 22,230.21mg/kg, 1765.66 and 1609.41mg/kg, 580.34 and 660.79mg/kg and 376.21 and 4444.46mg /kg respectively. Also, exterior parts of orange and black carrots contained 281.65 and 336.43mg/kg P, 7768.37 and 10,109.44mg/kg K, 169.88 and 272.18mg/kg Ca, 112.08 and 189.28mg/kg Mg and 135.43 and 217.60mg/kg S, respectively. P and K contents of the head parts of radish samples (white, red and black radish) were determined between 302.14 (red radish) and 1111.53mg/kg (black radish) to 13,717.2 (red radish) and 22,202.4mg/kg (white radish), respectively. Fe amounts of the roots of radish samples changed between20.47 (red radish) and 45.93mg/kg (white radish). As and Ba were the most abundant heavy metals in both carrot and radish parts. The Ni contents of the parts of the carrots contain more than 50% lower than the head part. Also, while Pb contents of the parts of orange carrot change between 0.189µg/g (interior of body) and 0.976µg/g (shell), Pb amounts of the black carrot parts were recorded between 0.136 (head) and 0.536µg/g (interior of body). The results obtained differed according to the vegetable type and parts. The head part of the radishes was the richest in zinc, followed by root, shell, exterior of body and interior of body in descending order. In general, the parts where heavy metals were most localized were the head and shell parts. The most localized parts of heavy metals in radishes were the head, shell and root parts. As a result, the most of the edible inner parts of carrots and radishes are thought to have a positive effect on human health, since their heavy metal content is low.