Screening and Assessment of Potential Plant Growth-promoting Bacteria Associated with Allium cepa Linn.

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are beneficial microbes that increase plant growth and yield. However, limited information is currently available on PGPB in onion (Allium cepa Linn.). The aims of the present study were to isolate and identify PGPB in onion and examine the effects of isolated PGPB on germination and growth during the vegetative stage in onion, pak choy (Brassica chinensis), and sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum). Twenty-three strains of PGPB were isolated from the roots, bulbs, and rhizosphere soil of onion. All isolated bacterial strains showed one or more PGP traits, including indole acetic acid production, phosphate solubilization ability, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase and nitrogenase activities; most of these traits were derived from Bacillus sp., Microbacterium sp., and Pseudomonas sp. Eight bacteria that exhibited strong abilities to produce indole acetic acid were selected for a Petri dish trial, soil pot test, and vermiculate pot test. The Petri dish trial showed that strains ORE8 and ORTB2 simultaneously increased radicle and hypocotyl lengths in onion, but inhibited growth in sweet pepper after 7 d. The soil pot experiment on onion revealed that strains ORE5, ORE8, and ORTB2 strongly promoted growth during the vegetative stage with only a half dose of chemical fertilizer. The present results indicate that ORE8 (Bacillus megaterium) and ORTB2 (Pantoea sp.) are the most promising biofertilizers of onion and may simultaneously inhibit the seedling growth of other plants.

Sorting out the Value of Cruciferous Sprouts as Sources of Bioactive Compounds for Nutrition and Health.

Edible sprouts with germinating seeds of a few days of age are naturally rich in nutrients and other bioactive compounds. Among them, the cruciferous (Brassicaceae) sprouts stand out due to their high contents of glucosinolates (GLSs) and phenolic compounds. In order to obtain sprouts enriched in these phytochemicals, elicitation is being increasing used as a sustainable practice. Besides, the evidence regarding the bioavailability and the biological activity of these compounds after their dietary intake has also attracted growing interest in recent years, supporting the intake of the natural food instead of enriched ingredients or extracts. Also, there is a growing interest regarding their uses, consumption, and applications for health and wellbeing, in different industrial sectors. In this context, the present review aims to compile and update the available knowledge on the fundamental aspects of production, enrichment in composition, and the benefits upon consumption of diverse edible cruciferous sprouts, which are sources of phenolic compounds and glucosinolates, as well as the evidence on their biological actions in diverse pathophysiological situations and the molecular pathways involved.

Toxicity assessment of molybdenum slag as a mineral fertilizer: A case study with pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.).

Large quantities of molybdenum (Mo) slag are generated as a by-product during mining and smelting, which not only occupy huge stretches of arable land and natural habitats but also threaten the local ecosystem and environment. How to recycle this Mo slag is becoming an urgent issue. Here, we reported the toxicity assessment of Mo slag as a mineral fertilizer for slag recycling in agricultural practices. The results showed the following: (1) Lower rates of slag (1.0%, 2.5%, and 5.0%) fertilization, especially 5.0% slag, increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase), the contents of chlorophyll, and both the maximum quantum yield and quantum efficiency of photosystem II; decreased the content of malondialdehyde and the non-photochemical quenching of photosystem II; and eventually increased the height, leaf area, and biomass of pakchoi seedlings; (2) Higher rates (7.5% and 10.0%) of Mo slag application resulted in a reduction in the aforementioned physiological and morphological parameters (except for peroxidase activity) of pakchoi seedlings; and (3) Although fertilization with 5.0% slag increased the accumulation of the non-essential elements arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in pakchoi seedlings, their contents were still lower than the maximum levels of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, European Union, and standards of China. From the perspectives of plant nutrition and food safety, our results showed that Mo slag fertilization at rates lower than 5.0% can be applied as a mineral fertilizer for pakchoi grown on calcareous soils.

Speed breeding in growth chambers and glasshouses for crop breeding and model plant research.

'Speed breeding' (SB) shortens the breeding cycle and accelerates crop research through rapid generation advancement. SB can be carried out in numerous ways, one of which involves extending the duration of plants' daily exposure to light, combined with early seed harvest, to cycle quickly from seed to seed, thereby reducing the generation times for some long-day (LD) or day-neutral crops. In this protocol, we present glasshouse and growth chamber-based SB approaches with supporting data from experimentation with several crops. We describe the conditions that promote the rapid growth of bread wheat, durum wheat, barley, oat, various Brassica species, chickpea, pea, grass pea, quinoa and Brachypodium distachyon. Points of flexibility within the protocols are highlighted, including how plant density can be increased to efficiently scale up plant numbers for single-seed descent (SSD). In addition, instructions are provided on how to perform SB on a small scale in a benchtop growth cabinet, enabling optimization of parameters at a low cost.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria promote plant size inequality.

The uniformity of crop yield is extremely important for consumers and of as much relevance to the grower as overall yield. However, size inequality within a plant population is rarely measured and has never before been considered in relation to the use of beneficial microbes for yield enhancement. For the first time, we show that addition of soil bacteria to calabrese plants significantly increased size inequality. These effects were usually more apparent in above-ground biomass. This was caused by some (but not all) plants growing very large when inoculated with bacteria, while control plants were mostly small. We suggest that the main reason is the incompatibility of the inoculated bacteria with those already present in the rhizosphere. In some cases the inoculum matched the indigenous community, providing a benefit to plant growth, while often it did not and plants remained relatively small. We conclude that analyses of size inequality should be an integral part of experiments using microbial soil amendments. These analyses can help to inform the production of more effective microbial products and to ensure that the integration of beneficial microbes into sustainable production systems does not impair uniformity in yield.

[Effects of inter-row economic crop planting on soil moisture in a rain-fed jujube orchard in loess hilly region, China].

Soil moisture variation in dryland sloping jujube. orchard was investigated after introducing two economic crops, i.e., feed Brassica napus (JR) and Hemerocallis fulva (JH) planted between jujube rows. Jujube tree without inter-row crop was set as control (CK). The results showed that mean soil moisture for JR and JH in the 0-180 cm soil layer increased by 6.2% and 10.1% compared with CK, respectively. Soil moisture changed mainly in the 0-60 cm soil layer in growth stage of Jujube trees. Soil moisture in JR and JH treatments significantly increased in the 0-60 cm soil layer, which could meet the demand in water resource of jujube plantation. The water consumption of jujube trees also mainly concentrated in the 0-60 cm soil layer. There was a significant decay exponential relationship between the soil moisture in the 0-20 cm layer and the drought duration after rainfall. During the 18-day dry period after rain, the soil moisture contents of JR and JH were apparently higher than that of CK. In conclusion, the jujube-crop intercropping system improved the soil moisture condition. It was an effective measure to overcome the seasonal drought in jujube orchards on the loess hilly region.

A modelling methodology to assess the effect of insect pest control on agro-ecosystems.

The extensive use of chemical pesticides for pest management in agricultural systems can entail risks to the complex ecosystems consisting of economic, ecological and social subsystems. To analyze the negative and positive effects of external or internal disturbances on complex ecosystems, we proposed an ecological two-sidedness approach which has been applied to the design of pest-controlling strategies for pesticide pollution management. However, catastrophe theory has not been initially applied to this approach. Thus, we used an approach of integrating ecological two-sidedness with a multi-criterion evaluation method of catastrophe theory to analyze the complexity of agro-ecosystems disturbed by the insecticides and screen out the best insect pest-controlling strategy in cabbage production. The results showed that the order of the values of evaluation index (RCC/CP) for three strategies in cabbage production was "applying frequency vibration lamps and environment-friendly insecticides 8 times" (0.80) < "applying trap devices and environment-friendly insecticides 9 times" (0.83) < "applying common insecticides 14 times" (1.08). The treatment "applying frequency vibration lamps and environment-friendly insecticides 8 times" was considered as the best insect pest-controlling strategy in cabbage production in Shanghai, China.

Antioxidant capacity of broccoli sprouts subjected to gastrointestinal digestion.

BACKGROUND: Broccoli is a common vegetable recognized as a rich source of antioxidants. To date, research on the antioxidant properties of broccoli, predominantly conducted on extracts, has not considered the lesions of composition and this activity after gastrointestinal digestion. Here the stability of antioxidants during gastrointestinal digestion was evaluated in conjunction with the protective effects of broccoli sprouts (BS) against oxidative stress in human colon cells. RESULTS: The obtained data suggest that, among the biocompounds identified in BS, glucosinolates were mainly degraded under gastrointestinal digestion, while phenolics, particularly hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, were the most resistant constituents. The antioxidant capacity of BS extract subjected to gastrointestinal digestion was similar to or higher than that determined for non-digested BS. Gastrointestinal digested BS extract exhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS)-inhibitory capacity in NCM460 human colon cells, with 1 mg mL(-1) showing an ROS clearance of 76.59%. A 57.33% reduction in oxidative DNA damage in NCM460 cells due to treatment with digested BS extract was observed. CONCLUSION: The results lend support to the possible application of BS as a rich source of antioxidants to improve the defensive system against oxidative stress in the human colon mucosa.

[Environmental safety assessment on the new super absorbent polymers applied into a soil-Chinese cabbage system].

Super absorbent polymers (SAPs), a new water retention material, have a potential for application in water-saving agricultural production. In this study, we investigated the effects of SAPs, synthesized from natural plant extracts, on Chinese cabbage fresh weight, soil water content, soil water stable aggregates, soil microbial biomass (carbon) and soil microbial respiration under three water conditions (excessive, normal and deficient) and two SAPs application strategies (bulk treatment and spraying treatment). The results showed that the SAPs significantly promoted the soil water content, water-stable aggregates (> 0.25 mm) and the soil microbial activities, especially under the water deficient conditions. Meanwhile, SAP application strategy was of great significance to the effects on Chinese cabbage and soil properties. Compared with the control treatment under normal water condition, spraying treatment of Jaguar C (S-JC) could reduce irrigation water amount by about 25% without reducing the crop production. Furthermore, compared with the control treatment under the same water condition with S-JC (deficient), it could increase Chinese cabbage production by 287%. Thus, SAPs is an environmental friendly water-saving technique in agricultural production.

Assessment of the anticancer compounds Se-methylselenocysteine and glucosinolates in Se-biofortified broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) sprouts and florets.

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) is a rich source of chemopreventive compounds. Here, we evaluated and compared the effect of selenium (Se) treatment on the accumulation of anticancer compounds Se-methylselenocysteine (SeMSCys) and glucosinolates in broccoli sprouts and florets. Total Se and SeMSCys content in sprouts increased concomitantly with increasing Se doses. Selenate was superior to selenite in inducing total Se accumulation, but selenite is equally effective as selenate in promoting SeMSCys synthesis in sprouts. Increasing sulfur doses reduced total Se and SeMSCys content in sprouts treated with selenate, but not in those with selenite. Examination of five broccoli cultivars reveals that sprouts generally have better fractional ability than florets to convert inorganic Se into SeMSCys. Distinctive glucosinolate profiles between sprouts and florets were observed, and sprouts contained approximately 6-fold more glucoraphanin than florets. In contrast to florets, glucosinolate content was not affected by Se treatment in sprouts. Thus, Se-enriched broccoli sprouts are excellent for simultaneous accumulation of chemopreventive compounds SeMSCys and glucoraphanin.

In vitro propagation of cauliflower using curd microexplants.

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) with its distinctive pre-inflorescence or curd is a remarkable member of the Brassica cabbage group. During curd development, intense and repetitive branching leads to a spectacular increase in size and the accumulation of millions of meristems at its surface. Although destined to produce flowers, most of these meristems are capable of regenerating vegetative shoots in vitro, making curd fragments an excellent material for the micropropagation of cauliflower. Most reported methods using these tissues were devised for the production of small clones of vitroplants as the true potential of curd fragments remained highly underestimated. We describe a technique exploiting fully this abundance of meristems and optimized for the large-scale in vitro propagation of cauliflower. The curd surface is first mechanically disrupted to break up the meristem clusters and generate microexplants carrying 1-3 meristems. These microexplants are then cultured at high density 1:100 (v:v) (microexplants:medium) in liquid medium containing Kinetin and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and produce thousands of microshoots in 12 days. After selecting the best quality microshoots on a sucrose pad, they are transferred en masse to a rooting medium supplemented with IBA. Four weeks later, rooted microshoots are carefully acclimatized before transfer to the field. This semi-automated protocol is rapid, cost effective, and well adapted for the production of clones of several thousands of plants by a single worker in a short space of time.

Biotoxicity assessment of pyrene in soil using a battery of biological assays.

A test battery, composed of a range of biological assays, was applied to evaluate the ecological health of soil aged for 69 days and spiked with a range of pyrene levels (1.04, 8.99, 41.5, 72.6, 136, and 399 µg g(-1) dry soil; Soxhlet-extracted concentrations after 69 days of aging). Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa), earthworm (Eisenia fetida), and bacteria (Vibrio fischeri) were used as test organisms to represent different trophic levels. Among the acute ecotoxicity bioassays used, the V. fischeri luminescence inhibition assay was the most sensitive indicator of pyrene toxicity. We observed >8 % light inhibition at the lowest concentration (1.04 µg g(-1)) pyrene, and this inhibition increased to 60 % at 72.6 µg g(-1). The sensitivity ranking for toxicity of the pyrene-contaminated soil in the present study was in the following decreasing order: root elongation of Chinese cabbage < earthworm mortality (14 days) < earthworm mortality (28 days) < luminescence inhibition (15 min) < luminescence inhibition (5 min). In addition, genotoxic effects of pyrene were also evaluated by using comet assay in E. fetida. The strong relationship between DNA damage and soil pyrene levels showed that comet assay is suitable for testing the genotoxicity of pyrene-polluted soil. In addition, tail moment was well correlated with soil pyrene levels (r (2) = 0.99). Thus, tail moment may be the most informative DNA-damage parameter representing the results of comet assay. Based on these results, the earthworm DNA damage assay and Microtox test are rapid and sensitive bioassays and can be used to assess the risk of soil with low to high levels of hydrocarbon pollution. Furthermore, an analysis of the toxic effects at several trophic levels is essential for a more comprehensive understanding of the damage caused by highly contaminated soil.

Comparative assessment of the efficacy of bacterial and cyanobacterial phytohormones in plant tissue culture.

Efficient callus and explant regeneration medium, using microbial extract (SPE purified) or supernatant has been formulated for Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata. Two cyanobacterial strains (Anabaena sp. Ck1 and Chroococcidiopsis sp. Ck4) and two bacterial strains, (Pseudomonas spp. Am3 and Am4) known to produce a number of cytokinins, tZ, cZ, ZR, DHZR and IAA were selected for the media formulation. Supernatant from strains with high cytokinin to IAA ratio, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa Am3 (2.08) and Chroococcidiopsis sp. Ck4 (0.8) efficiently induced compact calli which were turned green upon exposure to light. The strains producing lower cytokinins to IAA ratio (0.11-0.13) on the other hand induced friable callus which were unable to regenerate on the selected media combinations. Leaf, stem and root explants of Brassica oleracea L. regenerated on MS medium supplemented with phytohormones from microbial origin with efficiency comparable to standard cytokinins and IAA. Supplements from cyanobacterial origin proved to be the best for induction of adventitious roots and shoots on internodal and petiolar segments. Hypocotyl explants however, responded well on MS supplemented with bacterial metabolites. Induction of adventitious shoots on root explants was supported by phytohormones from both origin equally well. Callus induction on the seeds and regeneration of shoots on calli was also observed. Cyanobacteria based media were more efficient to induce calli capable of regeneration upon exposure to light. Internodal explants were highly amenable to regenerate shoot and roots simultaneously. Root explants were the less successful to regenerate shoots.

Toxicological assessment of selective pesticides towards plant growth promoting activities of phosphate solubilizing Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The study was designed to assess the effect of selected pesticides (metribuzin, glyphosate, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, hexaconazole, metalaxyl and kitazin) at the recommended and higher rates on plant growth promoting activities of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PS1 isolated from mustard (Brassica compestris) rhizosphere. The strain PS1 was specifically chosen owing to its substantial tolerance against pesticides, phosphate solubilization and considerable production of indole acetic acid, siderophores, exo-polysaccharides, HCN and ammonia. Plant growth promoting traits of the strain PS1 decreased consistently as the concentrations of each pesticide was increased from the recommended dose to the higher ones. Generally, the maximum toxicity to plant growth promoting traits was displayed by pesticides at three times the recommended field rate. However, the effect on the plant growth promoting activities of the P. aeruginosa strain PS1 at the recommended dose of each pesticide was less hazardous. This study revealed an additional aspect of the toxicological mechanisms of the pesticides through which they suppress the plant growth.

Comparative effect of integrated pest management and farmers' standard pest control practice for managing insect pests on cabbage (Brassica spp.).

BACKGROUND: Studies were conducted on experimental cabbage plantings in 2009 and on experimental and commercial plantings in 2010, comparing farmers' current chemical standard pesticide practices with an integrated pest management (IPM) program based on the use of neem (Aza-Direct) and DiPel (Bacillus thuringiensis). In experimental plantings, the IPM program used six or eight applications of neem and DiPel on a rotational basis. The standard-practice treatments consisted of six or eight applications of carbaryl and malathion or control treatment. RESULTS: The IPM treatments reduced pest populations and damage, resulting in a better yield than with the standard chemical or control treatment. When IPM treatment included three applications of neem plus three applications of DiPel (on a rotational basis in experimental fields), it again reduced the pest population and damage and produced a better yield than the standard practice. The lower input costs of the IPM program resulted in better economic returns in both trials. CONCLUSIONS: The IPM components neem and DiPel are suitable for use in an IPM program for managing insect pests on cabbage (Brassica spp.).

Broccoli-derived by-products--a promising source of bioactive ingredients.

UNLABELLED: The regular dietary intake of broccoli on a weekly basis has been related to better health, but industrial use of broccoli by-products (crop remains) is negligible. Adding value to broccoli by-products in a country such as Spain, one of the main broccoli producers for the EU, is of scientific and economic interest. The present article is focused on the bioactive compounds (glucosinolates, phenolic acids, and flavonoids) and nutrients (vitamin C, minerals, and trace elements), as well as the in vitro radical-scavenging capacity (DPPH. test), of the broccoli products (harvest remains) resulting from greenhouse cultivation using 80 mM NaCl treatment, representative of the currently available irrigation water in the production areas of Murcia (SE Spain). The bioactive compounds and nutrient contents varied according to the cultivar, organ (leaves or stalks), and the saline stress (80 mM NaCl), in the cultivars Marathon, Nubia, and Viola. Cultivar Nubia was not affected dramatically by 80 mM NaCl and the contents of phytochemicals and nutrients in the by-products of Nubia fell within the range of health-promoting levels of edible commercial parts (inflorescences or flower heads). Therefore, adding value to broccoli agrowaste by obtaining bioactive ingredients and nutrients could benefit the food and drug industry. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Many by-products of the agrifood industry may be useful as sources of nutrients and potentially functional ingredients, giving the opportunity to obtain added-value products. Previous studies have been focused on edible florets, but in this case we are interested in adding value to broccoli by-products that represent a real problem in the production sites because no intended use for this material has been envisaged. Therefore, the aim of this study was to add value to the broccoli-derived by-products, since recycling all this agrowaste to obtain bioactive ingredients for industry can boost profits and reduce costs and environmental problems.

Assessment of heavy metals phytotoxicity using seed germination and root elongation tests: a comparison of two growth substrates.

Seed germination and root elongation test is used to evaluate hazardous waste sites and to assess toxicity of organic and inorganic compounds. Paper substrate, especially circular filter paper placed inside a Petri dish has long been used for this test. Same reports indicate that filter paper might interfere with the toxicity of inorganic substances, especially metal cations. This study evaluate toxicity of Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu on lettuce, broccoli, tomato and radish seed using two bed material: agar and filter paper. The results show that percent germination is not affected by substrates; vice versa, as for root elongation, the test in agar showed to be more sensible than that the one on filter paper. The radical growth inhibition depends on the metal, on the tested concentration and on the species; among the tested metals, cadmium was the one determining the highest toxic effects on different species and lettuce was the plant that suffered more. From the comparison, it is clearly evident the greater sensibility of the test in agar; on the other hand, the lower sensibility of the test on the filter paper might be caused by the partial and not homogeneous exposition of the root to metal cations.

[Risk assessment of pig manure Cu-contamination of black soil in northeast China].

Copper (Cu) is massively used as feed additives in intensive farms, and the discharge and utilization of livestock wastes may cause certain environmental problems. In this paper, a cultivated black soil in Northeast China was sampled, and added with pig manures that contained different concentration of Cu to simulate the vegetable soil under different years of pig manure fertilization. With this soil, a pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of soil Cu accumulation via the application of the pig manures on the aboveground biomass and its Cu concentration of pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.), soil microbial biomass carbon, and soil enzymes (dehydrogenase, urease, and acid phosphatase) activities. The results showed that pig manure application increased the aboveground biomass of pakchoi significantly, but had no significant effects on the aboveground biomass Cu concentration. Under the application of pig manure, soil dehydrogenase and urease activities increased in a definite period of time, but their activities as well as soil acid phosphatase activity were depressed gradually with the increase of soil Cu concentration. When the soil total Cu concentration reached 301.3 mg x kg(-1), the aboveground biomass of pakchoi, soil microbial biomass carbon, and the activities of dehydrogenase, urease, and acid phosphatase were greatly reducd. The aboveground biomass Cu concentration of pakchoi had significant positive correlations with the concentration of soil total and water soluble Cu (P < 0.01), while the aboveground biomass was negatively correlated with soil total Cu concentration (P < 0.05). It was suggested that the threshold value of Cu in black soil under vegetable cultivation should be less than 301.3 mg x kg(-1).

Assessment of single extraction methods for the prediction of bioavailability of metals to Brassica juncea L. Czern. (var. Vaibhav) grown on tannery waste contaminated soil.

Various single extractant (DTPA, EDTA, NH(4)NO(3), CaCl(2), and NaNO(3)) was used to evaluate the bioavailability of heavy metals from tannery wastewater contaminated soil and translocation of metals to the plant of Brassica juncea L. Czern. (var. Vaibhav). The extraction capacity of the metals was found in the order: EDTA>DTPA>NH(4)NO(3)>CaCl(2)>NaNO(3). Cluster analysis between different extractants showed close relationship between DTPA, CaCl(2), NH(4)NO(3) except EDTA and NaNO(3), which showed dispersed relationship. Principal components analysis (PCA) applied to metals extracted with EDTA showed different grouping of metals (i) Na, Co, Pb, Ni and (ii) K, Mn, Zn, Cr, in the loading plot which showed similar availability from contaminated soil. PCA applied on metals accumulation data in the plants also exhibited different grouping of variables (i) Cu, Co, Ni, Cd and (ii) Mn, Zn, Pb, Fe showed almost similar accumulation pattern in the plants. The data displayed positive loading for Mn and negative loading for Cr with PC(2). Cd and Zn have shown high loadings in PC(1) and PC(2), respectively. The translocation of most of the tested metals (Pb, Mn, Cd, Ni, Fe) in the shoot of the plant was found better except Cr, Cu, Co and K. The correlation analysis between different extractable metals and metal accumulation in the shoot of the plant showed significant positive correlation with Pb and Cr. Overall, extraction capacity and cluster analysis augmented that EDTA was found suitable extractant for tannery wastewater contaminated soil to B. juncea.

Toxicity assessment of two soils from Jales mine (Portugal) using plants: growth and biochemical parameters.

Contaminants in soils can enter food chains through primary producers. Bioavailable contaminants can induce growth, and reproductive or biochemical changes in plants. To evaluate the bioavailability of heavy metals in two soils from Jales mine surroundings, bioassays with the plants Brassica rapa (RCBr) and Avena sativa were performed. Biochemical parameters (protein and malondialdehyde [MDA] content, and catalase and peroxidase activities) were also measured. The soils had different heavy metal contents: JNC soil contained low heavy metal concentrations, whereas JC soil had high heavy metal contents. Results stressed the difference between species sensitivity, with A. sativa showing no toxicity effects when exposed to both soils. On the other hand, B. rapa presented a decrease in growth parameters when exposed to JNC soil and no changes when exposed to JC soil. A Life Cycle Bioassay confirmed this trend for B. rapa exposed to JNC soil, but also evidenced that JC soil was affecting B. rapa in terms of flower and seed pod production. Biochemical assays showed that plants affected by heavy metals also displayed oxidative stress, with an increase in MDA production, reduction of protein content, and reduction of catalase and peroxidase activities. All bioassays revealed that JNC soil, although with a lower heavy metal content, had a higher bioavailable fraction when compared to JC soil, which consequently increased its toxicity to plants.