Minor Element Concentrations Research Articles

Effect of Na, Mg, Ca chloride salts on mineral element, proline and total protein contents in rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown in vitro

In this study, the effects of different types and concentrations of salts on local Siverek rice plant (Oryza sativa L.) grown in vitro were investigated in terms of mineral elements (K, Ca, P, Mg, Na, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Mo, Co), proline, and total protein content. Sterilized seeds were planted in hormone-free and salt-free MS medium. After one week, the seedlings were subjected to different concentrations of NaCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2 salts (0, 30 mM, 90 mM) in order to evaluate the effect of salinity on plant growth and development. In response to salt stress, a decrease in nutrient elements was observed for all three types of salt compared to the control group, which can be attributed to disruptions in ion balance. Changes in element levels generally showed varying levels of increase or decrease depending on both the type and concentration of the salt and these changes were statistically significant. The increase in proline level was found to be directly proportional to the changes in the amounts of Ca, Mg, K, and Na elements. Both total protein and proline content showed the lowest values for all salt concentrations with CaCl2, while the highest values were obtained with NaCl. In conclusion, the changes in the level of mineral elements, total protein, and proline content levels, which decrease or increase in different ratios, depending on the type and concentration rising of the salt, are associated with the varying tolerance of the plant to different types of salts.

Unusual sources of fossil micrometeorites deduced from relict chromite in the small size fraction in ~467 Ma old limestone

ABSTRACTExtraterrestrial chrome spinel and chromite extracted from the sedimentary rock record are relicts from coarse micrometeorites and rarely meteorites. They are studied to reconstruct the paleoflux of meteorites to the Earth and the collisional history of the asteroid belt. Minor element concentrations of Ti and V, and oxygen isotopic compositions of these relict minerals were used to classify the meteorite type they stem from, and thus to determine the relative meteorite group abundances through time. While coarse sediment‐dispersed extraterrestrial chrome‐spinel (SEC) grains from ordinary chondrites dominate through the studied time windows in the Phanerozoic, there are exceptions: We have shown that ~467 Ma ago, 1 Ma before the breakup of the L chondrite parent body (LCPB), more than half of the largest (>63 μm diameter) grains were achondritic and originated from differentiated asteroids in contrast to ordinary chondrites which dominated the meteorite flux throughout most of the past 500 Ma. Here, we present a new data set of oxygen isotopic compositions and elemental compositions of 136 grains of a smaller size fraction (32–63 μm) in ~467 Ma old pre‐LCPB limestone from the Lynna River section in western Russia, that was previously studied by elemental analysis. Our study constitutes the most comprehensive oxygen isotopic data set of sediment‐dispersed extraterrestrial chrome spinel to date. We also introduce a Raman spectroscopy‐based method to identify SEC grains and distinguish them from terrestrial chrome spinel with ~97% reliability. We calibrated the Raman method with the established approach using titanium and vanadium concentrations and oxygen isotopic compositions. We find that ordinary chondrites are approximately three times more abundant in the 32–63 μm fraction than achondrites. While abundances of achondrites compared to ordinary chondrites are lower in the 32–63 μm size fraction than in the >63 μm one, achondrites are approximately three times more abundant in the 32–62 μm fraction than they are in the present flux. We find that the sources of SEC grains vary for different grain sizes, mainly as a result of parent body thermal metamorphism. We conclude that the meteorite flux composition ~467 Ma ago ~1 Ma before the breakup of the LCPB was fundamentally different from today and from other time windows studied in the Phanerozoic, but that in contrast to the large size fraction ordinary chondrites dominated the flux in the small size fraction. The high abundance of ordinary chondrites in the studied samples is consistent with the findings based on coarse extraterrestrial chrome‐spinel from other time windows.

Polylactic acid microplastics have stronger positive effects on the qualitative traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.) than polyethylene microplastics: Evidence from a simulated field experiment

Soil pollution by microplastics (MPs) from different types of agricultural films has received substantial attention due to its potential effects on crop quality. To date, the effects of different types of MPs on rice grain quality and their underlying molecular mechanisms have not been clarified. In this study, we examined the effects of polyethylene MPs (PE-MPs) and biodegradable polylactic acid MPs (PLA-MPs) on rice grain quality at the environmental level (0.5 %) and evaluated the molecular mechanism through transcriptome analysis. PE- and PLA-MPs increased the number of rice grains per plant by 19.83 % and 24.66 %, respectively, and decreased the rice empty-shell rate by 55.89 % and 26.53 %, respectively. However, PLA-MPs increased the 1000-seed weight by 11.37 %, whereas PE-MPs had no obvious impact in this respect. Furthermore, MP exposure, especially that of PE-MPs, affected the content of mineral elements, fatty acids, and amino acids of rice grains by disturbing the expression of genes related to these functions and metabolism. Our findings provide insights into the response of rice grains to the stress caused by different MPs.

ВИТАМИНЫ, МИНЕРАЛЬНЫЕ И АРОМАТОБРАЗУЮЩИЕ ВЕЩЕСТВА В СТРУКТУРНЫХ ЭЛЕМЕНТАХ ЯГОДЫ ВИНОГРАДА СОРТОВ НАРМА И РКАЦИТЕЛИ

Grape berries, which contain organic substances, vitamins, amino acids, minerals, aromatic substances, have valuable taste and nutritional properties. An important source of biologically active substances are the pulp, skin and seeds of grape berries containing a significant amount of essential components. The purpose of the work is to determine the biochemical parameters: biologically active, mineral and aroma-forming substances in the structural elements of Narma and Rkatsiteli grape varieties cultivated in Dagestan. A capillary electrophoresis system was used to determine vitamins, composition and number of cations. The research was carried out on the device «Kapel 104T», RF, NPF LUMEX. The aroma-forming components in the experimental samples were identified using a gas chromatograph «Crystal 2000M» (RF). The mass concentration of antioxidants was measured on the device TSVET YAUZA 01-AA, (RF). The total amount of vitamins and vitamin-like substances in the autochthonous Narma variety was: in the pulp - 0.7123 mg/dm3 , in the skin – 3.4101 mg/dm3 and in the seeds – 3.7827 mg/dm3 . The total concentration of mineral elements in the skin of the studied grapes (Narma –33,2 mg/dm3 , Rkatsiteli – 20,8 mg/dm3 ) is higher than in the pulp and seeds. Significant total amounts of antioxidants were found in the seeds of the studied grapes: Narma – 6.71 mg/dm3 , Rkatsiteli – 8.51 mg/dm3 . High concentrations of aroma-forming substances were determined in the skin and seeds of berries of the Narma variety – 376.26 and 253.71 mg/dm3 , and in the Rkatsiteli variety the content of these compounds was 82.34 and 91.00 mg/dm3 , respectively. The research results complement the biochemical characteristics of Narma and Rkatsiteli grape varieties, which can be successfully used as raw materials in the food industry to enrich food with biologically active, mineral and aroma-forming substances.

Potassium humate and cobalt enhance peanut tolerance to water stress through regulation of proline, antioxidants, and maintenance of nutrient homeostasis

Water stress is an important factor that substantially impacts crop production. As a result, there is a need for various strategies that can mitigate these negative effects. One such strategy is the application of potassium humate (Kh) and cobalt (Co), which have been reported to enhance the resistance of crop plants. Therefore, the present experiment was designed to investigate whether the application of Kh and Co could positively affect proline, chlorophyll and mineral elements contents, and antioxidant defense systems which in turn will mitigate the negative impact of water stress under different irrigation strategies. In 2021 and 2022, an open-field experiments were conducted by using a split-plot design. The main plots were divided to represent different irrigation strategies (ST), with additional control of full irrigation requirements (ST1). Four STs were implemented, with ST1, followed by the application of 75%, 50%, and 25% irrigation strategies in ST2, ST3, and ST4 respectively, in the next irrigation, followed by the full requirements, and so on. In the subplots, peanut plants were treated with tap water (Control), Kh at 2 g l−1 and 3 g l−1, Co, Co + Kh 2 g l−1 and Co + Kh 3 g l−1. The yield was negatively affected by the implementation of ST4, despite the increase in proline contents. Furthermore, there was a decrease in relative water content, chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzymes, protein, and mineral nutrient elements. However, the application of Kh or Co showed better improvements in most of the studied parameters. It is worth noting that there was an antagonistic relationship between Co and iron/manganese, and the intensity of this relationship was found to depend on the STs implemented. The highest mineral nutrient accumulation, chlorophyll content, relative water content, protein content, oil content, seed yield, and water productivity were observed when peanut plants were treated with Kh 3 g l−1 + Co under the ST2 water strategy.

Combined effect of cover crops and bio-fertilizer on sustainable popcorn maize production.

Cover crops play an important role in low-input cropping systems, increasing the use of agro-ecosystem services. Due to the lack of information about the impact of cover crops and bio-fertilizers on popcorn maize (Zea mays everta Sturt.) growth and yield quality, especially the popping volume and nutritive quality, such as concentrations of protein and mineral elements, this research aimed to provide essential information. The interrelation between popcorn maize productivity and quality with important groups of soil microorganisms presents additional novelty. The results demonstrated that field pea is a beneficial cover crop, especially when combined with a bio-fertilizer, supporting the accumulation of maize biomass, chlorophyll, yield potential, and the concentrations of protein, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn. In addition, field pea residues promoted N-fixing bacteria, and the number of total microorganisms, especially actinomycetes and decomposing bacteria, which could promote nutrient uptake and grain quality. Residues of cover crop mixtures, common vetch + winter oats and field pea + winter oats, promoted the total number of microorganisms in the soil, and up to the end of vegetation, a greater number of decomposition and ammonification microorganisms were found, especially when the bio-fertilizer was applied, which consequently could support greater maize biomass. Popping volume, as a main trait of popcorn maize, had the highest value in the common vetch + winter oats variant, supporting again the statement that quality traits could be enhanced in sustainable production. Unlike living cover crops, mulch mainly affected soil microbial communities and promoted the development of actinomycetes and cellulolytic microorganisms during the growing season. The results of this research could contribute to the development of sustainable popcorn maize production for improved grain quality. They could also serve as a basis for isolating beneficial soil microorganisms to develop new bio-fertilizers that could improve maize production in synergy with cover crops.

Effect of Zn Applied with or Without Palm Stearin Coated Urea on The Growth and Mineral Element Concentration of Maize (Zea mays L.)

Inhibition of ammonia (NH3) volatilization by deaccelerating urea hydrolysis rate in Central Anatolian lands is the indispensable approach for eco-friendly fertilization and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Nitrogen (N) and zinc (Zn) are critically limited here in alkaline soils. An experiment was conducted under controlled conditions to determine the availability of Zn applied as a solution and bound with polymer palm stearin (PS) coating material as a urease inhibitor. The treatments consisted of urea as a commercial commodity, urea with PS only, urea impregnated with PS and Zn, Zn-coated urea, and Zn in solution (SOL) form. During winter, 2019-20, the experiment was conducted in the glasshouse of the department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition at Ankara University, Türkiye. Data indicated that Zn with PS and in SOL form produced more growth traits i.e., plant height (130 cm), stem girth (13.2 mm), shoot dry matter (4.63 g plant-1), root dry matter yield (0.61 g plant-1), and chlorophyll (42.16 mg g-1) content (p<0.01). Similarly, we had higher concentration of N (3.19%) and Zn (50.46 mg kg-1) content in maize plants (p<0.01) as compared to control. In conclusion, Zn at the rate of 10 mg kg-1 either in solution or coated with urea seems highly effective to sustain better crop productivity and NUE. While concerning N and Zn content, coated urea with Zn markedly responded as compared to Zn in SOL. Synergism between N and Zn can lead to better fertilizer management

Comparative Analysis of Nutrients and Mineral Element Contents in Muscles of Pelodiscus sinensis Raised in a Paddy Field and on a Factory Farm

Comparative Analysis of Nutrients and Mineral Element Contents in Muscles of Pelodiscus sinensis Raised in a Paddy Field and on a Factory Farm

Genetic Variability and Phenotypic Correlations Study among Grain Quality Traits and Mineral Elements Concentrations in Colored and Non-Colored Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.)

Genetic Variability and Phenotypic Correlations Study among Grain Quality Traits and Mineral Elements Concentrations in Colored and Non-Colored Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.)

Effects of climate warming on the dynamics of mineral elements accumulation in Solanum tuberosum L.

A simulated experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of climate warming on the bioaccumulation, translocation and distributions of mineral elements in Solanum tuberosum L. by increasing temperature and CO2 concentration in an artificial climate greenhouse. The objective was to explore the effects of global warming on crop mineral nutrition and the long-term effects on agricultural ecology. The results showed that the bioaccumulation of Cu, Mg, Fe, Mn, and Cd in Solanum tuberosum L increased in whole plant with the combined increase of temperature and CO2 concentration. The mineral elements in leaves, stems, tubers, and root tissues of Solanum tuberosum L showed different changes, and the trend and degree of change vary depending on the element. The migration of most elements from roots to leaves and stems showed a slight increase with the increasing of temperature and the concentration of CO2, while the migration from roots to tubers remained relatively stable. In addition, the available content of most mineral elements (except K) in the soil increased with increasing temperature and CO2 concentration. These results suggested that climate warming could change the bioaccumulation, migration, and distribution dynamics of mineral elements in Solanum tuberosum L.

Effects of hypobaria, hyperoxia, and nitrogen form on the growth and nutritional quality of lettuce

The objectives of this research were to investigate the impact of hypobaria, hyperoxia, and nitrogen form on the growth and nutritional quality of plants. Pre-culture 20-day-old lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. Rome) seedlings grew for 25 days under three levels of total atmospheric pressure (101, 54, and 30 kPa), two levels of oxygen partial pressure (21 and 28 kPa), and two forms of nitrogen (NO3N and NH4N). The ratios of NO3N to NH4N included 3: 1, 4: 0, 2: 2, and 0: 4. The nitrogen quantity included two levels, i.e. N1, 0.1 g N kg−1 dry matrix and N2, 0.2 g N kg−1 dry matrix. The growth status of lettuce plants in different treatments differentiated markedly. Regardless of the nitrogen factor, the growth status of lettuce plants treated with total atmospheric pressure/oxygen partial pressure at 54/21 was equivalent to the treatment of 101/21. Under the hypobaric condition (54 kPa), compared with 21 kPa oxygen partial pressure, hyperoxia (28 kPa) significantly inhibited the growth of lettuce plants and the biomass (fresh weight) decreased by 60.9%-69.9% compared with that under 101/21 treatment. At the N1 level, the sequence of the biomass of lettuce plants supplied with different ratios of NO3N to NH4N was 3: 1 > 4: 0 > 2: 2 > 0: 4, and there were higher concentrations of chlorophyll and carotenoid of lettuce plants supplied with the higher ratio of NO3 to NH4. At the N2 level, the effects of different ratios of NO3N to NH4N on lettuce plants were similar to those at the N1 level. The high nitrogen (N2) promoted the growth of lettuce plants such as 54/21/N2 treatments. Both form and nitrogen level did not affect the stress resistance of lettuce plants. Hypobaria (54 kPa) increased the contents of N, P, and K and hyperoxia (28 kPa) decreased the content of organic carbon in lettuce plants. The high nitrogen (N2) improved the content of total N and the N uptake. The ratios of NO3N to NH4N were 4: 0 and 3: 1, lettuce could absorb and utilize N effectively. This study demonstrated that hyperoxia (28 kPa) inhibited the growth of lettuce plants under the hypobaric condition (54 kPa), and high level of nitrogen (0.2 g N kg−1 dry matrix) and NO3N: NH4N at 3: 1 markedly enhanced the growth, the contents of mineral elements and the nutritional quality of lettuce plants.

Tin Mineralization in the Triassic Chacaltaya District (Cordillera Real, Bolivia) Traced by In Situ Chemical and δ18O-δ11B Compositions of Tourmaline

Abstract We present a petrographic and geochemical study of tourmaline from the Triassic Chacaltaya Sn-polymetallic district in the Cordillera Real of Bolivia. Tourmaline is associated with greisens, breccias, and veins, which occur around the Triassic Chacaltaya peraluminous granitic stock hosted by Silurian metasedimentary rocks. Three main petrographic types of hydrothermal tourmaline have been identified: pre-ore greisen-related (Tur-1), syn-ore breccia-related (Tur-2), and syn-ore vein-related (Tur-3). The three types of tourmaline belong to the alkali group and have Fe-rich compositions mostly close to the schorl end member. Overlapping Fe/(Fe + Mg) ratios suggest broadly similar compositions of the hydrothermal fluids during the deposition of tourmaline. The most notable differences in minor and trace element contents include relative enrichment in Zn and Li in Tur-1 and relative enrichment in Ca, Sc, V, Cr, Sr, Sn, Y, Cs, Be, and Zr in Tur-3, with Tur-2 showing intermediate compositions between those of Tur-1 and Tur-3. The progressive enrichment in Sn from Tur-1 (avg = 14 ppm) through Tur-2 (avg = 311 ppm) and Tur-3 (avg = 476 ppm) indicates an increase of Sn concentrations in the hydrothermal system coinciding with cassiterite deposition in breccias and veins. The transition from high Li and Zn contents in Tur-1 to elevated Ca, Sr, V, and Cr contents in Tur-3 is interpreted as reflecting interaction between a hydrothermal fluid of magmatic origin and the metasedimentary country rocks. Strong and relatively steady positive Eu anomalies in all tourmaline types suggest dominantly reduced hydrothermal conditions. In situ δ18O and δ11B analyses of greisen-related Tur-1 reveal crystallization in isotopic equilibrium with magmatic water derived from a peraluminous S-type granite. In contrast, higher δ18O values of breccia-related Tur-2 and vein-related Tur-3 indicate crystallization in isotopic equilibrium with a fluid of metamorphic origin or a magmatic fluid that variably interacted with the metasedimentary host rocks. Geochemical modeling reproduces interactions between a fluid of magmatic origin and the host metasedimentary rocks at moderate water/rock ratios between 0.1 and 0.5. We conclude that cassiterite mineralization in the Chacaltaya district was formed primarily through interaction between B-Sn–rich magmatic fluids and the metasedimentary country rocks.

EDXRF and the relative presence of K, Ca, Fe and as in amyloidogenic tissues

Trace and minor elements play crucial roles in a variety of biological processes, including amyloid fibrils formation. Mechanisms include activation or inhibition of enzymatic reactions, competition between elements and metal proteins for binding positions, also changes to the permeability of cellular membranes. These may influence carcinogenic processes, with trace and minor element concentrations in normal and amyloid tissues potentially aiding in cancer diagnosis and etiology. With the analytical capability of the spectroscopic technique X-ray fluorescence (XRF), this can be used to detect and quantify the presence of elements in amyloid characterization, two of the trace elements known to be associated with amyloid fibrils. In present work, involving samples from a total of 22 subjects, samples of normal and amyloid-containing tissues of heart, kidney, thyroid, and other tissue organs were obtained, analyzed via energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). The elemental distribution of potassium (K), calcium (Ca), arsenic (As), and iron (Fe) was examined in both normal and amyloidogenic tissues using perpetual thin slices. In amyloidogenic tissues the levels of K, Ca, and Fe were found to be less than in corresponding normal tissues. Moreover, the presence of As was only observed in amyloidogenic samples; in a few cases in which there was an absence of As, amyloid samples were found to contain Fe. Analysis of arsenic in amyloid plaques has previously been difficult, often producing contradictory results. Using the present EDXRF facility we could distinguish between amyloidogenic and normal samples, with potential correlations in respect of the presence or concentration of specific elements.

CO2‐Undersaturated Melt Inclusions From the South West Indian Ridge Record Surprisingly Uniform Redox Conditions

AbstractThe behavior of Fe3+ during mantle partial melting strongly influences the oxidation state of the resulting magmas, with implications for the evolution of the atmosphere's oxidation state. Here, we challenge a prevailing view that low‐degree partial melts are more oxidized due to the incompatible behavior of Fe3+. Our study is based on measurements of Fe3+/∑Fe along with major, minor, trace and volatile elements in olivine‐ and plagioclase‐hosted melt inclusions of CO2 undersaturated mantle melts in South West Indian Ridge lava. These inclusions record minimum entrapment pressures equivalent to depths up to 10 km below the seafloor, record magma ascent rates of 0.03–0.19 m/s, and display exceptionally high CO2/Ba, CO2/Rb, and CO2/Nb ratios, indicative of a CO2‐rich mantle source. Accounting for fractional crystallization, we find a uniform melt oxidation state (with an Fe3+/ΣFe at 0.140 ± 0.005 at MgO = 10 wt.%) that displays no systematic variation with major, minor, volatile or trace element contents, thus providing no evidence for a relationship between the degree of partial melting and Fe3+/ΣFe. This can be explained by efficient buffering of Fe3+/∑Fe and fO2 of mid‐ocean ridge basalt melts by their surrounding mantle and/or a decrease in the bulk peridotite‐melt Fe2O3 partition coefficient with increasing partial melting. We conclude that changes in the Earth's upper mantle temperature over geological time need not have affected the oxidation state of volcanic products or of the atmosphere.

LA‐ICP‐MS and SEM‐EDX analyses for spatially resolved element detection in cement clinker phases

AbstractThis study combines 2D element mappings which allows a more detailed analysis of clinker phase composition by using the advantages of both methods. One mapping is obtained by laser ablation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS), providing very good results for minor and trace element concentrations with a low spatial resolution. The other dataset is generated using energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry (EDX) in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) which provides high‐resolution element mappings of cement clinker phases, with a low accuracy in chemical composition.It is revealed that this approach enables to determine the major and trace element concentrations in phases like alite, belite and the interstitial phase (C3A, C4AF) of real Portland cement clinker. A protocol is shown how to record and subsequently register both datasets as such, that the combined analysis significantly broadens the output of the individual measurements. The low detection limits of LA‐ICP‐MS delivers trace element concentrations and the high spatial resolution and analytical accuracy of SEM‐EDX identifies the clinker phases. Results show that Ba, K, V, and Rb are preferentially incorporated into belite, while Na, Ti, and Mn is enriched in the interstitial phase. This allows to study the influence of minor and trace elements on the stabilization and reactivity of clinker phases.

A Warming Southern Gulf of Mexico: Reconstruction of Anthropogenic Environmental Changes From a Siderastrea siderea Coral on the Northern Coast of Cuba

AbstractThe Gulf of Mexico is a vital region for the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), that fuels the exchange of heat between the tropics and the polar regions. A weakening of the AMOC would have dire consequences for the planet. First observations and ocean models show that this process has already started. Very limited knowledge of the components that are part of the AMOC such as the Loop Current (LC) make it difficult to understand its dynamics as well as changes in strength or temperature since the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Currently, there are no continuous in situ sea surface temperature or salinity measurements for the southeastern Gulf of Mexico or reconstruction attempts for this region, showing the necessity for high‐resolution climate archives. A Siderastrea siderea coral core was retrieved from the northwestern Cuban coast and used as a sub‐seasonally resolved sea surface temperature and hydroclimate archive. The approach is based on skeletal δ18O, and trace and minor element contents show an increase in temperature over 160 years since 1845 of 2.6–3.3°C. A possible stagnation of the warming trend set in after the 1980s, indicating a potential weakening of the Loop Current. Impacts in sea surface salinity such as El Niño events in the Pacific region can still be detected in the Gulf of Mexico as decreases in salinity in 1998 from the reconstructed δ18OSW coral record. In situ measurements remain crucial to understand the dynamics in the LC and its influence on the AMOC.

Продуктивность озимых зерновых культур в зависимости от степени окультуренности почв

The work is devoted to the bioindication of soils from row spacing and trunk strips of an apple orchard, as well as in their natural state. The soil in these places had different properties. Two varieties of winter wheat and one variety of winter rye were sown on the soils. The different cultivation of the soils of apple orchards is most noticeable in meadow-chernozem and chernozem-meadow soils. The degree of soil cultivation in apple orchards affects the vegetative mass and the content of mineral elements in winter wheat and triticale. In the tillering phase, plants accumulate less vegetative mass on less cultivated soil. The water content in the aboveground mass of crops does not depend on the cultivation of the soil. Plants in the process of their development maintain the hydration of tissues necessary for life, therefore, the water content in plant tissues cannot be used in bioindication as a test indicator of soil cultivation. The productivity indicators of the aboveground mass of winter wheat of the Moskovskaya 70 variety, Moskovskaya 39 variety, winter rye of the Chulpan 7 variety and the content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in their plant tissues are generally consistent with water-physical, physico-chemical parameters and with soil bonification data, therefore, these agricultural plants are recommended to be used as test crops when evaluating the degree of cultivation of soils. Keywords: WINTER RYE, WINTER WHEAT, DEGREE OF CULTIVATION, BIOINDICATION, NATURAL LANDS

Towards Verifying the Imported Soybeans of China Using Stable Isotope and Elemental Analysis Coupled with Chemometrics.

Verifying the geographical origin of soybeans (Glycine max [Linn.] Merr.) is a major challenge as there is little available information regarding non-parametric statistical origin approaches for Chinese domestic and imported soybeans. Commercially procured soybean samples from China (n = 33) and soybeans imported from Brazil (n = 90), the United States of America (n = 6), and Argentina (n = 27) were collected to characterize different producing origins using stable isotopes (δ2H, δ18O, δ15N, δ13C, and δ34S), non-metallic element content (% N, % C, and % S), and 23 mineral elements. Chemometric techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and BP-artificial neural network (BP-ANN) were applied to classify each origin profile. The feasibility of stable isotopes and elemental analysis combined with chemometrics as a discrimination tool to determine the geographical origin of soybeans was evaluated, and origin traceability models were developed. A PCA model indicated that origin discriminant separation was possible between the four soybean origins. Soybean mineral element content was found to be more indicative of origin than stable isotopes or non-metallic element contents. A comparison of two chemometric discriminant models, LDA and BP-ANN, showed both achieved an overall accuracy of 100% for testing and training sets when using a combined isotope and elemental approach. Our findings elucidate the importance of a combined approach in developing a reliable origin labeling method for domestic and imported soybeans in China.

Effects of molybdenum supply on microbial diversity and mineral nutrient availability in the rhizosphere soil of broad bean (Vicia Faba L.)

Molybdenum application holds the potential to enhance agricultural productivity. However, the precise impact on soil microbial diversity and mineral nutrient availability remains uncertain. In this study, we collected rhizosphere soil samples from different growth stages of broad beans. By analyzing mineral element contents, soil phosphorus and zinc fractions, as well as fungal and bacterial diversity, we observed that Mo application resulted in a reduction of soil Citrate‒P and HCl‒P content. This reduction led to an increase in available P content at different stages. Moreover, Mo application elevated root P concentration, but concurrently impeded the translocation of P to the shoots. Mo application also decreased the soil Exc‒Zn (exchangeable Zn) content while increasing the Res‒Zn (residual Zn) content, ultimately causing a decrease in available Zn content at different stages. Consequently, the Zn concentration within broad beans correspondingly decreased. Mo application fostered an augmentation in fungal richness and Shannon indices at the branching and podding stages. The analysis of microbial co-occurrence networks indicated that Mo application bolstered positive connectivity among fungal taxa. Remarkably, Mo significantly increased the abundance of Chaetomium, Leucosporidium, and Thielavia fungi. Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation between fungal diversity and soil available P content, as well as a notable negative correlation with soil available Zn content. These findings suggest that Mo application may modify the availability of soil P and Zn by influencing fungal diversity in the rhizosphere of crop soil, ultimately impacting nutrient accumulation within the grains.

Investigation of the effects of mineral elements on flower coloration of plants growing in different habitats (limestone, serpentine, gypsum).

In this study, 25 plant species growing in different habitats in Erzincan province were studied with gypsum (Ebenus macrophylla, Gypsophila lepidioides, Linum flavum, Onobrychis nitida, Paracaryum stenolophum, Psephellus recepii, Tanacetum heterotomum, Verbascum alyssifolium), limestone (Alkanna megacarpa, Alyssum sibiricum, Anthemis sp., Astragalus sp., Chrysophthalmum montanum, Ebenus laguroides, Genista aucheri, Pelargonium endlicherianum, Stachys sparsipilosa), or serpentine (Artedia squamata, Consolida olopetala, Convolvulus pseudoscammania, Erysimum pulchellum, Fumana aciphylla, Gladiolus halophilus, Hypericum thymbrifolium, Salvia indica). Within the scope of the study, element concentrations were determined in plants with different flower colors (yellow, purple-blue-pink, white) and in the soils where they grow. Our goal was to assess whether there were differences in mineral element concentrations within plants from these different areas and whether those differences (if they existed) led to changes in plant morphology, specifically flower coloration. The flowers, leaves and root parts of the collected plants and the soils of the habitats where they grow were pre-treated in the laboratory. Mineral element concentrations in the prepared samples were determined by ICP-MS. Plant and soil data obtained were statistically evaluated, and the differences between the habitats were determined. It was observed that there were differences in terms of mineral elements in the generative and vegetative parts of the plant and these differences impacted flower color; these coloration differences in plants from other areas might be used to indicate the presence of potentially important minerals.