Abstract
Root characteristics and metal uptake in the maize hybrid Naudi were studied in a pot trial, using soil artificially highly polluted with Zn, Cu, Co, Cd, and Pb. The addition of these metals as sulfates decreased the soil pH and increased electrical conductivity. As a result of increased bioavailability in the soil pore water, significantly higher concentrations of metals, particularly Pb, Cu, and Co, were found in the shoot tissues of maize at the 3–4 leaf stage. While the lowest increase was in Cd (0.89 mg kg−1 vs. 0.33 mg kg−1 for controls), Zn reached a critical threshold of 75 mg kg−1 vs. 2.76 mg kg−1. Fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, as well as root length, were markedly reduced, whereas root diameter, tip density, and the branching index increased considerably. A significant adaptation strategy by maize in the polluted soil was an increased fraction of coarse root length and a decreased fraction of finer roots. We conclude that maize is very sensitive to multiple metal pollution, suggesting its potential use as a test plant to evaluate contaminated soils. As length was the most affected root characteristic, measurement of this parameter could be a way of screening genotypes for tolerance to metal contamination and possibly salinity. There also is future scope for investigating whether K fertilization might mitigate metal phytotoxicity, in view of the negative correlations between the shoot K concentration and concentrations of the supplied metals.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
Metal sulfates decreased soil pH.
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The addition of these metals as sulfates decreased the soil pH and increased electrical conductivity.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Metal sulfates increased soil electrical conductivity.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The addition of these metals as sulfates decreased the soil pH and increased electrical conductivity.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Metals in maize shoots were significantly higher at 3–4 leaf stage in polluted soil.
- Organ / stage
- shoot tissuese0
- Treatment
- metalse0
- Outcome
- concentrations of metalse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- 3–4 leaf stagee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significantly higher concentrations of metals, particularly Pb, Cu, and Co, were found in the shoot tissues of maize at the 3–4 leaf stage.”
Claim · model-written summary
Shoot Cd rose to 0.89 mg kg−1 from 0.33 mg kg−1 in controls.
- Treatment
- Cde0
- Outcome
- Cde0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- 0.89 mg kg−1e0
- Qualifier
- 0.33 mg kg−1e0
- Comparator
- controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the lowest increase was in Cd (0.89 mg kg−1 vs. 0.33 mg kg−1 for controls)”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Shoot Zn reached 75 mg kg−1 versus 2.76 mg kg−1 in controls.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zn reached a critical threshold of 75 mg kg−1 vs. 2.76 mg kg−1.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Pollution markedly reduced fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots and root length.
- Treatment
- polluted soile1
- Outcome
- Fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, as well as root lengthe0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, as well as root length, were markedly reduced”
e1“maize in the polluted soil”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Pollution increased root diameter, tip density and branching index.
- Treatment
- polluted soile1
- Outcome
- root diameter, tip density, and the branching indexe0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“root diameter, tip density, and the branching index increased considerably.”
e1“maize in the polluted soil”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize had an increased coarse root length fraction in polluted soil.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A significant adaptation strategy by maize in the polluted soil was an increased fraction of coarse root length and a decreased fraction of finer roots.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize had a decreased fine root fraction in polluted soil.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A significant adaptation strategy by maize in the polluted soil was an increased fraction of coarse root length and a decreased fraction of finer roots.”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize is considered very sensitive to multiple metal pollution.
- Outcome
- very sensitive to multiple metal pollutione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize is very sensitive to multiple metal pollution”
Claim · model-written summary
Shoot K concentration correlated negatively with supplied metal concentrations.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“negative correlations between the shoot K concentration and concentrations of the supplied metals.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors suggest maize as a test plant for contaminated soils.
- Outcome
- test plant to evaluate contaminated soilse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“suggesting its potential use as a test plant to evaluate contaminated soils.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors suggest root length for screening metal tolerance and possibly salinity.
- Outcome
- screening genotypes for tolerance to metal contamination and possibly salinitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“measurement of this parameter could be a way of screening genotypes for tolerance to metal contamination and possibly salinity.”
t0“maize”
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