Physiological effects of mercury-contaminated Oxisols on common bean and oat.

The heavy metal mercury (Hg) is one of the most complex and toxic pollutants. When present in soils, it may impair plant growth, but the intensity of damage depends on the physical-chemical properties of the soil such as pH, clay, and organic matter content, which in turn affects Hg sorption and bioavailability. Understanding Hg potential damage to staple food crops is of paramount relevance. Here, we evaluated the physiological effects of Hg in Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean) and Avena sativa (oat) cultivated in two Oxisols with contrasting properties: Rhodic Acrudox (RA) and Typic Hapludox (TH). We performed four independent experiments (one per species/soil combination) that lasted 30 days each. Treatments were composed by HgCl2 concentrations in soils (0 to 80 mg kg-1 Hg). At the end of the experiment, we determined the impact of Hg on photosynthesis, nutritional status, and oxidative stress. Cultivation in TH contaminated with Hg resulted in oxidative stress in common bean and decreased photosynthesis/P accumulation in oat. No deleterious effects on physiological variables were detected in both species when cultivated in the RA soil. In general, we conclude that the lower Hg sorption in the TH soil resulted in toxicity-like responses, while acclimation-like responses were observed in plants cultivated in RA, reinforcing soil physical-chemical properties as key features driving Hg toxicity in Oxisols. Graphical abstract.

Copper phytotoxicity in agricultural crops cultivated in tropical soils / Fitotoxicidade do cobre em culturas agrícolas cultivadas em solos tropicais

Copper is a micronutrient for living organisms, but at high concentrations it may cause several deleterious effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of agricultural crops to different concentrations of Cu in the soil. The species Triticum aestivum (wheat), Zea mays (maize), Oryza sativa (rice), Phaseolus vulgaris (dry bean), Glycine max (soybean), and Raphanus sativus (radish) were cultivated in the soils Typic Hapludox (TyHpx) and Rhodic Acrudox (RhAcx). The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse and the soils were set in pots in a completely randomized design, with four replicates per treatment adding the following Cu concentrations (as Cu-nitrate): 0, 75, 150, 300, 600, 800, 1000, 1200 mg kg-¹ dry soil. Measurements of biological variables, such as shoot dry weight (SDW), plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves were carried out, in addition to determining Cu content in the SDW. At the TyHpx, a decreasing order of tolerance to Cu phytotoxicity was: dry bean, maize, soybean, wheat, radish, and rice. However, at the RhAcx, the decreasing order was: maize, soybean, radish, wheat, dry bean, and rice. The species that revealed the highest sensitivity to high Cu concentrations in soil was rice and that with the lowest sensitivity was maize.(AU)

O cobre é um micronutriente para organismos vivos, mas em altas concentrações pode causar vários efeitos deletérios. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o comportamento de culturas agrícolas em diferentes concentrações de Cu no solo. As espécies Triticum aestivum (trigo), Zea mays (milho), Oryza sativa (arroz), Phaseolus vulgaris (feijão), Glycine max (soja) e Raphanus sativus (rabanete) foram cultivadas nos solos Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo distrófico típico (LVAd) e Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico típico (LVdf). O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação e os solos foram colocados em vasos, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições por tratamento, adicionando às seguintes concentrações de Cu (como nitrato de Cu): 0, 75, 150, 300, 600, 800, 1000, 1200 mg kg-¹ de solo seco. Foram realizadas medidas das variáveis biológicas matéria seca da parte aérea (MSPA), altura da planta, diâmetro do caule e número de folhas, além disso foi determinado o teor de Cu na MSPA. No LVAd, a ordem decrescente de tolerância à fitotoxicidade do Cu foi: feijão, milho, soja, trigo, rabanete e arroz. No entanto, no LVdf, a ordem decrescente foi: milho, soja, rabanete, trigo, feijão e arroz. A espécie que revelou maior sensibilidade às altas concentrações de Cu no solo foi o arroz e a que apresentou menor sensibilidade foi o milho.(AU)

Copper phytotoxicity in agricultural crops cultivated in tropical soils / Fitotoxicidade do cobre em culturas agrícolas cultivadas em solos tropicais

Copper is a micronutrient for living organisms, but at high concentrations it may cause several deleterious effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of agricultural crops to different concentrations of Cu in the soil. The species Triticum aestivum (wheat), Zea mays (maize), Oryza sativa (rice), Phaseolus vulgaris (dry bean), Glycine max (soybean), and Raphanus sativus (radish) were cultivated in the soils Typic Hapludox (TyHpx) and Rhodic Acrudox (RhAcx). The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse and the soils were set in pots in a completely randomized design, with four replicates per treatment adding the following Cu concentrations (as Cu-nitrate): 0, 75, 150, 300, 600, 800, 1000, 1200 mg kg-¹ dry soil. Measurements of biological variables, such as shoot dry weight (SDW), plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves were carried out, in addition to determining Cu content in the SDW. At the TyHpx, a decreasing order of tolerance to Cu phytotoxicity was: dry bean, maize, soybean, wheat, radish, and rice. However, at the RhAcx, the decreasing order was: maize, soybean, radish, wheat, dry bean, and rice. The species that revealed the highest sensitivity to high Cu concentrations in soil was rice and that with the lowest sensitivity was maize.

O cobre é um micronutriente para organismos vivos, mas em altas concentrações pode causar vários efeitos deletérios. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o comportamento de culturas agrícolas em diferentes concentrações de Cu no solo. As espécies Triticum aestivum (trigo), Zea mays (milho), Oryza sativa (arroz), Phaseolus vulgaris (feijão), Glycine max (soja) e Raphanus sativus (rabanete) foram cultivadas nos solos Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo distrófico típico (LVAd) e Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico típico (LVdf). O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação e os solos foram colocados em vasos, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições por tratamento, adicionando às seguintes concentrações de Cu (como nitrato de Cu): 0, 75, 150, 300, 600, 800, 1000, 1200 mg kg-¹ de solo seco. Foram realizadas medidas das variáveis biológicas matéria seca da parte aérea (MSPA), altura da planta, diâmetro do caule e número de folhas, além disso foi determinado o teor de Cu na MSPA. No LVAd, a ordem decrescente de tolerância à fitotoxicidade do Cu foi: feijão, milho, soja, trigo, rabanete e arroz. No entanto, no LVdf, a ordem decrescente foi: milho, soja, rabanete, trigo, feijão e arroz. A espécie que revelou maior sensibilidade às altas concentrações de Cu no solo foi o arroz e a que apresentou menor sensibilidade foi o milho.