Yasouj University
Abstract: (182 Views)
Abstract:
Environmental stress in plants, particularly from heavy metal presence, poses a significant challenge to their growth. Manganese, an essential micronutrient, can become detrimental when accumulated in soil and plants. To assess the impact of silicon on Linum usitatissimum under manganese stress, a factorial experiment was conducted. Linum usitatissimum plants were grown in hydroponic culture with four different manganese levels (2, 250,500 and 1000 μM) along with five silicon treatment levels (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mM). Results revealed that increasing manganese stress levels led to a rise in proline, soluble sugars content, and manganese in roots and shoots, accompanied by a decrease in other studied traits. Notably, the application of 2 mM silicon consistently yielded the highest values across all manganese levels for the examined traits. Silicon application enhanced proline and soluble sugar content in leaves, consequently increasing plant photosynthetic capacity and leading to greater dry weight in roots and shoots under various silicon levels. The use of silicon significantly ameliorated the harmful effects of manganese in Linum usitatissimum under manganese stress conditions. Therefore, 2 mM silicon is recommended as a beneficial solution in areas contaminated with this heavy metal, which can lead to the reduction of manganese in the roots and shoots of plants.
Keywords: Dry weight, Heavy metals, Physiological traits, Proline, Stress
Background and Objective: Oilseeds, crucial for protein and energy, serve diverse purposes from food to industrial applications (Pramanik et al., 2023). Linum usitatissimum L., an annual herb, faces heavy metal toxicity affecting plant growth. Environmental pollution, including the accumulation of heavy metals and the pollution of agricultural soils, is one of the most important global issues, which, in addition to reducing the quantity and quality of agricultural products, endangers their sustainability. Manganese (Mn), essential for plants, can turn toxic in excess. Silicon (Si) has been recognized for its role in mitigating biotic and abiotic stress, including heavy metal stress (Shi et al., 205; Imtiaz et al., 2016) and has beneficial effects on growth and development of many plants. In the Northeast and Northwest of Iran, there are rich soils of manganese and active mines of this element. Also, in the vicinity of metal smelting and refining factories, manganese pollution has been reported, and a wide range of agricultural lands adjacent to them are under the influence of toxic concentrations of this element. This study aimed to externally apply silicon to Linum usitatissimum and observe the plant's response to manganese toxicity.
Methods: The experiment employed a factorial design with different Mn (as MnSO4) and Si (as Na2SiO3) levels in a soilless cultivation system. Distilled water and quarter-strength Hoagland solution were used for irrigation. Mn and Si treatments were applied from the six-leaf stage for four weeks. Traits were measured post-harvest. Data were tested by analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS 9.1 software. All data presented are the mean values. The measurement was done with four replicates. Statistical assays were carried out by ANOVA test and means were compared by the least significant difference (LSD) test.
Results: The results showed that the interaction of Mn and Si stress significantly influenced various traits in Linum usitatissimum. Mn stress increased proline and soluble sugar content, while Si application enhanced this effect. Si treatment significantly reduced the Mn concentration in the root and aerial parts of the plant. Treatment with 2 mM Si demonstrated the most significant improvement in physiological and morphological traits.
Conclusions: The study highlights the positive impact of Si on plant characteristics under Mn stress. Si application proved beneficial in reducing Mn absorption and accumulation in aerial organs, offering an effective and economical solution for increased crop production in Mn-stressed environments.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Plant growth under stressful conditions
Received: 2023/11/7 | Accepted: 2024/02/11
Received: 2023/11/7 | Accepted: 2024/02/11
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