Tolerance of Impatiens balsamina L., and Crotalaria retusa L. to grow on soil contaminated by used lubricating oil: A comparative study.

Screening of plant species with an ability to grow on contaminated soil is the most critical step in the planning of a phytoremediation program. While flourishing growth of Impatiens balsamina L. and Crotalaria retusa L. has been observed in areas adjacent to automobile service stations in Sri Lanka, no systematic study of their tolerance to used lubricating oil (ULO) contaminated soil has been carried out. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the comparative responses of I. balsamina L. and C. retusa L. to soil contaminated with ULO. Both species exhibited 100% seed germination in soils treated with 1%-5% w/w ULO. After 120 h exposure, root lengths and biomass of germinated seedlings of both species were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in all treatments above 3% w/w ULO. The measured growth parameters of plants following 90 d exposure to 0.5-3% w/w ULO, indicated significant (p < 0.05) negative effects on I. balsamina and C. retusa at >1% w/w and >2% w/w ULO, respectively. There were no significant effects on chlorophyll content or root anatomy of either species under any treatments. Therefore, we concluded that I. balsamina can tolerate up to 1% of ULO and C. retusa up to 2% w/w ULO without displaying any negative effects. Comparatively higher biodegradation of ULO in the rhizosphere, root nodule formation, increases in root length and root hair density are all possible strategies for the exhibited higher tolerance of C. retusa. Therefore, the overall results indicate that C. retusa has the greater potential to be used in phytoremediation of ULO contaminated soils. The findings of the present study will be beneficial in planning phytoremediation program for ULO contaminated soil.

Seed Endophyte Microbiome of Crotalaria pumila Unpeeled: Identification of Plant-Beneficial Methylobacteria.

Metal contaminated soils are increasing worldwide. Metal-tolerant plants growing on metalliferous soils are fascinating genetic and microbial resources. Seeds can vertically transmit endophytic microorganisms that can assist next generations to cope with environmental stresses, through yet poorly understood mechanisms. The aims of this study were to identify the core seed endophyte microbiome of the pioneer metallophyte Crotalaria pumila throughout three generations, and to better understand the plant colonisation of the seed endophyte Methylobacterium sp. Cp3. Strain Cp3 was detected in C. pumila seeds across three successive generations and showed the most dominant community member. When inoculated in the soil at the time of flowering, strain Cp3 migrated from soil to seeds. Using confocal microscopy, Cp3-mCherry was demonstrated to colonise the root cortex cells and xylem vessels of the stem under metal stress. Moreover, strain Cp3 showed genetic and in planta potential to promote seed germination and seedling development. We revealed, for the first time, that the seed microbiome of a pioneer plant growing in its natural environment, and the colonisation behaviour of an important plant growth promoting systemic seed endophyte. Future characterization of seed microbiota will lead to a better understanding of their functional contribution and the potential use for seed-fortification applications.

Leaf area estimation from linear measurements in different ages of Crotalaria juncea plants.

The goal of this study was to estimate the leaf area of Crotalaria juncea according to the linear dimensions of leaves from different ages. Two experiments were conducted with C. juncea cultivar IAC-KR1, in the 2014/2015 sowing seasons. At 59, 82, 102, 129 days after sowing (DAS) of the first and 61, 80, 92, 104 DAS of the second experiment, 500 leaves were collected, totaling 4,000 leaves. In each leaf, the linear dimensions were measured (length, width, length/width ratio and length × width product) and the specific leaf area was determined through Digimizer and Sigma Scan Pro software, after scanning images. Then, 3,200 leaves were randomly separated to generate mathematical models of leaf area (Y) in function of linear dimension (x), and 800 leaves for the models validation. In C. juncea, the leaf areas determined by Digimizer and Sigma Scan Pro software are identical. The estimation models of leaf area as a function of length × width product showed superior adjustments to those obtained based on the evaluation of only one linear dimension. The linear model Y=0.7390x (R2=0.9849) of the real leaf area (Y) as a function of length × width product (x) is adequate to estimate the C. juncea leaf area.

Leaf area estimation from linear measurements in different ages of Crotalaria juncea plants

ABSTRACT The goal of this study was to estimate the leaf area of Crotalaria juncea according to the linear dimensions of leaves from different ages. Two experiments were conducted with C. juncea cultivar IAC-KR1, in the 2014/2015 sowing seasons. At 59, 82, 102, 129 days after sowing (DAS) of the first and 61, 80, 92, 104 DAS of the second experiment, 500 leaves were collected, totaling 4,000 leaves. In each leaf, the linear dimensions were measured (length, width, length/width ratio and length × width product) and the specific leaf area was determined through Digimizer and Sigma Scan Pro software, after scanning images. Then, 3,200 leaves were randomly separated to generate mathematical models of leaf area (Y) in function of linear dimension (x), and 800 leaves for the models validation. In C. juncea, the leaf areas determined by Digimizer and Sigma Scan Pro software are identical. The estimation models of leaf area as a function of length × width product showed superior adjustments to those obtained based on the evaluation of only one linear dimension. The linear model Ŷ=0.7390x (R2=0.9849) of the real leaf area (Y) as a function of length × width product (x) is adequate to estimate the C. juncea leaf area.

Beneficial use of industrial by-products for phytoremediation of an arsenic-rich soil from a gold mining area.

This study investigated two industrial by-products - red mud (RM) and its mixture with phosphogypsum (RMG), as amendments in an As((5+))-contaminated soil from a gold mining area in Brazil in order to grow three plant species: Brachiaria decumbens, Crotalaria spectabilis, and Stylosanthes cv. Campo Grande. These amendments were applied to reach a soil pH of 6.0. Using RM and RMG increased shoot dry matter (SDM) and root dry matter (RDM) of most plants, with RMG being more effective. Adding RMG increased the SDM of Brachiaria and Crotalaria by 18 and 25% and the RDM by 25 and 12%, respectively. Stylosanthes was sensitive to As toxicity and grew poorly in all treatments. Arsenic concentration in shoots of Brachiaria and Crotalaria decreased by 26% with the use of RMG while As in roots reduced by 11 and 30%, respectively. Also, the activities of the plant oxidative stress enzymes varied following treatments with the by-products. The plants grew in the As-contaminated soil from the gold mining area. Thus, they might be employed for phytoremediation purposes, especially with the use of RMG due to its potential advantage in terms of nutrient supply (Ca(2+) and SO4(2-) from phosphogypsum).

Effects of Interplanting Flowering Plants on the Biological Control of Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Sweet Corn.

Natural enemy exploitation of food resources and alternative hosts in noncrop vegetation has been shown to be an effective means of enhancing natural enemy populations in diversified agro-ecosystem. Field trials were conducted in Hawaii to examine effects of interplanting flowering plants on 1) parasitism of corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) eggs by Trichogramma spp., and 2) abundance of Orius spp. in relation to prey (H. zea eggs and thrips [primarily, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) and Frankliniella williamsi Hood]). Sweet corn (maize), Zea mays L., was interplanted with three flowering plants, buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.), and sunn hemp, Crotolaria juncea L., at 2:1 and 4:1 (corn: flowering plant) ratios in 2009 and 2010, respectively. In 2009, the abundance of Orius spp. was significantly greater in the buckwheat-interplanted treatment compared to the monocrop control at similar levels of prey availability, indicating buckwheat flowers might have provided both prey and nectar resources. In 2010, cowpea and sunn hemp flowering plants provided a source of an alternate host insect's eggs for Trichogramma spp. oviposition, resulting in significantly higher parasitism of H. zea eggs in the cowpea- and sunn hemp-interplanted treatments compared to the monocrop control. Despite of differences in pest and natural enemy interactions in two field trials, our findings suggested that provisioning of an alternate host insect's eggs through flowering plants is an effective means for enhancing Trichogramma spp. and provisioning of both nectar and prey resources through flowering plants is important for enhancing predation by Orius spp.

Effects of green manure cover crops on Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) populations.

Spodoptera litura (F.) is an important pest of numerous agro-economic crops, including green manure cover crops. In Taiwan, sesbania (Sesbanin roxburghii Merr.), sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), and rapeseed (Brassicae campestris L. variety chinensis) are the most popular green manure crops; sesbania and sunn hemp are commonly planted in warm seasons, whereas rapeseed is grown in the winter. In this study, life-table data for S. litura reared on these three green manures were collected to evaluate their roles as refuges of this pest. The net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase, and finite rate of increase of S. litura were the highest when reared on sesbania (1428.1 offspring, 0.2327 d(-1), 1.2621 d(-1)), followed by sunn hemp (778.4 offspring, 0.2070 d(-1), 1.2300 d(-1)) and rapeseed (737.6 offspring, 0.2040 d(-1), 1.2263 d(-1)). The high growth rates on these green manure crops show that they can serve as potential breeding sites for S. litura. Population projection demonstrated the rapid growth of S. litura on sesbania, sunn hemp, and rapeseed as well. Because most growers have traditionally ignored pest management in green manure fields, the mass emergence of S. litura in these fields may cause unexpected infestations in nearby vegetable, corn, and peanut crops. This study shows that the use of green manures as sources of nutrients should be critically reassessed and an area-wide pest management program should be instituted by taking the population of S. litura in green manure fields into consideration.

Glucose, stem dry weight variation, principal component and cluster analysis for some agronomic traits among 16 regenerated Crotalaria juncea accessions for potential cellulosic ethanol.

The objectives of this research were to identify candidate sunn hemp accessions having high concentrations of cellulose for use as parents in breeding for cellulose and to determine variability for glucose content and some important agronomic traits among sunn hemp accessions. Since sunn hemp is an under-utilized species, glucose content and agronomic trait variation is essential for the identification of superior sunn hemp accessions for use as potential ethanol for biofuel. Sixteen sunn hemp accessions including the following plant introductions (expressed as glucose concentration) and stem dry weights were studied. "Sixteen sunn hemp accessions including the following plant introductions (expressed as glucose concentration) and stem dry weights were studied." In addition, to verify variability, these traits plus morphological, phenological, and seed reproductive traits were analyzed using multivariate and cluster analysis. The accessions, PI 250487, PI 337080, and PI 219717 produced the highest glucose concentrations (859, 809, and 770 mg g(-1) stem dry weight, respectively), however PI 468956 produced the highest stem dry weight (258 g). Branching significantly correlated with foliage (r(2) = 0.67**) and relative maturity (r(2) = 0.60*), while maturity had a significantly negative correlation with seed number (r(2) = -0.67**) and plant width (r(2) = -0.53*) as well. Seed number significantly correlated with plant width (r(2) = 0.57*). Average linkage cluster analysis grouped the 16 sunn hemp accessions into well-defined phenotypes with four distinct seed-producing groups and one outlier. Based on multivariate and cluster analysis, sufficient variation among these16 sunn hemp accessions exists to support the development of cellulosic ethanol producing cultivars with improved architecture, early maturity, seed yield, glucose concentrations, and stem dry weights.

Characteristics of cadmium accumulation and tolerance in novel Cd-accumulating crops, Avena strigosa and Crotalaria juncea.

Characteristics of accumulation and tolerance of cadmium (Cd) in green manure crops were investigated to identify Cd-accumulating crops and to clarify the mechanisms involved in Cd accumulation and tolerance. Seedlings of eight crop species were treated with Cd (1 mg l(-1) or 5 mg l(-1)) in the growing medium for 4 d. Cd concentration in leaves of Avena strigosa Schreb. cv. New-oat, Crotalaria juncea L. and Tagetes erecta L. cv. African-tall was greater than values used to define Cd-hyperaccumulation (>100 mg Cd kg(-1) DW). However, in leaves of T. erecta, lipid peroxidation level increased significantly, and the activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and catalase were depressed by both Cd treatments. By contrast, A. strigosa and C. juncea exhibited high Cd tolerance. Avena strigosa leaves showed higher activities of antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase than those of other species tested. Crotalaria juncea showed higher amounts of total soluble phenolics which, in leaves, were doubled by 5 mg l(-1) Cd treatment. When two Cd-tolerant accumulators (A. strigosa and C. juncea) and the non-accumulator (C. spectabilis) were treated with lower Cd concentrations for 4 weeks, A. strigosa and C. juncea exhibited superior Cd accumulation in the shoots with greater biomass production compared with C. spectabilis. These results indicate that A. strigosa and C. juncea possess the greater potential for Cd accumulation and tolerance than common crops.