Effect of biochar and redmud amendment combinations on Salix triandra growth, metal(loid) accumulation and oxidative stress response.

Remediation of metal(loid) polluted soils is an important area of research nowadays. In particular, one remediation technique is much studied, phytomanagement. Phytomanagement combines amendment application and plant growth in order to reduce the risk posed by contaminants. Salicaceae plants showed tolerance towards metal(loid)s and the ability to accumulate high amounts of metal(loid)s in their tissue. Amendments are often applied to counterbalance the reduced soil fertility and high metal(loid) concentrations. Two amendments gathered attention over the last decades, biochar (product of biomass pyrolysis), which can be activated for better effects, and redmud (by-product of alumina production). Those two amendments showed ability to improve soil conditions and thus plant growth, although few studied their combined application. Moreover, since metal(loid)s are known to induce the overproduction of reactive oxygen species, it is important to measure the level of oxidative stress in the plant, to which plants respond using enzymatic and non-enzymatic systems. But no studies evaluate the response of Salicaceae plants to metal(loid) stress and amendment application at the biochemical level in a real soil condition. Therefore, a mesocosm study was set up to evaluate the effect of amending a mine soil with redmud combined to diverse biochars on the soil properties and Salix triandra growth, metal(loid) accumulation and stress marker levels. Results showed that all amendment combinations improved the soil fertility, reduced metal(loid) mobility and thus ameliorated Salix triandra growth, which accumulated metal(loid)s mainly in its roots. Moreover, among the different amendment combinations, Salix triandra plants still suffered from oxidative stress when grown on PG soil amended with redmud and chemical activated carbon, showing elevated levels of phenolic compounds and salicinoids and important antioxidant and enzymatic activities. Finally, one treatment showed levels of these stress markers similar or lower than the control, the combination of redmud with steam activated carbon. In conclusion, this treatment seemed a good solution in a phytomanagement strategy using Salix triandra, improving soil conditions and plant growth and reducing oxidative stress level in the plant roots.

The impact of nanoparticles zero-valent iron (nZVI) and rhizosphere microorganisms on the phytoremediation ability of white willow and its response.

Soil contaminated with heavy metals (HMs) is a serious problem throughout the world that threatens all living organisms in the soil. Therefore, large-scale remediation is necessary. This study investigated a new combination of remediation techniques on heavy metal contaminated soil, phytoremediation, and soil amendment with nano-sized zero-valent iron (nZVI) and rhizosphere microorganisms. White willow (Salix alba L.) was grown for 160 days in pots containing Pb, Cu, and Cd and amended with 0, 150, and 300 (mg kg-1) of nZVI and rhizosphere microorganisms, including the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Rhizophagus irregularis, and the plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), Pseudomonas fluorescens. The results showed that inoculation with PGPR and AMF, particularly dual inoculation, improved plant growth as well as the physiological and biochemical parameters of white willow, and increased the bioconcentration factor (BCF) of Pb, Cu, and Cd. The low dose of nZVI significantly increased the root length and the leaf area of the seedlings and increased the BCF of Cd. In contrast, the high dose of nZVI had negative effects on the seedlings growth and the BCF of Pb and Cu, about - 32% and - 63%, respectively. Our results demonstrate that nZVI at low doses can improve plant performance in a phytoremediation context and that the use of beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms can minimize nZVI stress in plants and make them less susceptible to stress even under high dose conditions.

Effects of soil amendments on the growth response and phytoextraction capability of a willow variety (S. viminalis × S. schwerinii × S. dasyclados) grown in contaminated soils.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of lime and bisphosphonates (BPs) such as N10O chelate amendment on the growth, physiological and biochemical parameters, and phytoextraction potential of the willow variety Klara (Salix viminalis × S. schwerinii × S. dasyclados) grown in soils heavily contaminated with copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn). The plants were irrigated with tap or processed water (mine wastewater). The results suggest that the combined effects of the contaminated soil and processed water inhibited growth parameters, gas exchange parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) values. In contrast, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, organic acids, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, and the accumulation of metals/metalloids in the plant tissues were increased compared to the control. When the soil was supplemented with lime and N10O; growth, physiological, biochemical parameters, and resistance capacity were significantly higher compared to unamended soil treatments, especially in the contaminated soil treatments. The combined lime‒ and N10O‒amended soil treatment produced higher growth rates, resistance capacity, photosynthesis rates and phytoextraction efficiency levels relative to either the lime‒amended or the N10O‒amended soil treatments. This study provides practical evidence of the efficient chelate‒assisted phytoextraction capability of Klara and highlights its potential as a viable and inexpensive novel approach for in situ remediation of Cu‒, Ni‒ and Zn‒contaminated soils and mine wastewaters.

Copper and nickel co-treatment alters metal uptake and stress parameters of Salix purpurea×viminalis.

Simultaneous treatment of Salix purpurea×viminalis with copper (Cu2+) and nickel (Ni2+) altered metal phytoextraction rates in favor of leaves. Still, metal translocation patters remained unaffected (roots≈rods>>leaves≥shoots), reaching ∼20 and 14.5mgkg-1 dry weight in roots for Cu and Ni, respectively. Biometric parameters revealed overall growth inhibition correlated with Cu content in leaves, thus proving its negative effect on photosynthesis. Metal toxicity was strongly affirmed in the case of roots (∼90% loss of root biomass at 3mM), rather than in the above-ground organs. Plant treatment accelerated the accumulation of soluble carbohydrates, phenolics including salicylic acid and glutathione in Salix leaves. However, significant differences in plant reactions to the applied metals were noted. Metal accumulation in leaves was correlated with soluble sugars and elevated glutathione, and also with total phenolics content, in the case of Cu and Ni, respectively. Glutathione synthesis was induced by both metals, and correlated with salicylic acid in leaves of Ni-treated plants.

Effects of contaminated soil on the growth performance of young Salix (Salix schwerinii E. L. Wolf) and the potential for phytoremediation of heavy metals.

Salix schwerinii was tested in a pot experiment to assess plant growth performance i.e., relative height and dry biomass and the potential for heavy metal uptake in soils polluted with chromium, zinc, copper, nickel and total petroleum hydrocarbons. The soil used in the pot experiment was collected from a landfill area in Finland. Peat soil was added at different quantities to the polluted soil to stimulate plant growth. The plants were irrigated with tap water or processed water (municipal waste water) to further investigate the effects of nutrient loading on plant biomass growth. The soil was treated at two pH levels (4 and 6). The results showed that the addition of 40-70% peat soil at pH 6 to a polluted soil, and irrigation with processed water accelerated plant growth and phytoextraction efficiency. In the pot experiment, Salix grown in chromium, zinc, copper, nickel and total petroleum hydrocarbons -contaminated field soil for 141 days were unaffected by the contaminated soil and took up excess nutrients from the soil and water. Total mean chromium concentration in the plant organs ranged from 17.05 to 250.45 mg kg-1, mean zinc concentration ranged from 142.32 to 1616.59 mg kg-1, mean copper concentration ranged from 12.11 to 223.74 mg kg-1 and mean nickel concentration ranged from 10.11 to 75.90 mg kg-1. Mean chromium concentration in the plant organs ranged from 46 to 94%, mean zinc concentration ranged from 44 to 76%, mean copper concentration ranged from 19 to 54% and mean nickel concentration ranged from 8 to 21% across all treatments. Under the different treatments, chromium was taken up by Salix in the largest quantities, followed by zinc, copper and nickel respectively. Salix also produced a moderate reduction in total petroleum total petroleum hydrocarbons in the polluted soil. The results from the pot experiment suggest that Salix schwerinii has the potential to accumulate significant amounts of chromium, zinc, copper and nickel. However, long term research is needed to verify the phytoextraction abilities of Salix observed in the pot experiment.

Growth and efficiency of nutrient removal by Salix jiangsuensis J172 for phytoremediation of urban wastewater.

Willows are a group of versatile tree species that may have multiple environmental applications. In the present study, Salix jiangsuensis J172 plants were grown in the fixed mats as an economic plant-based treatment system to evaluate its potential for removing nutrients in wastewater. Plants grew normally in wastewater compared with those in Hoagland solution. However, wastewater containing a high concentration of chlorine ions was toxic to S. jiangsuensis J172 plants. The plants accumulated large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in aboveground tissues under conditions of abundant supply. The removal efficiency for raw wastewater was 82.18-87.78 % for nitrogen, 57.35-65.58 % for phosphorus, and 58.24-59.90 % for chemical oxygen demand. Nutrient removal efficiency was positively correlated with the initial nutrient supply. The results show that S. jiangsuensis J172 grown in the fixed mat economic plant-based treatment system with nutrient-rich, eutrophic water may be an effective, low-cost phytoremediation technology to treat water containing undesirable levels of wastewater.

Impact of phosphate on glyphosate uptake and toxicity in willow.

Phosphate (PO4(3-)) has been shown to increase glyphosate uptake by willow, a plant species known for its phytoremediation potential. However, it remains unclear if this stimulation of glyphosate uptake can result in an elevated glyphosate toxicity to plants (which could prevent the use of willows in glyphosate-remediation programs). Consequently, we studied the effects of PO4(3-) on glyphosate uptake and toxicity in a fast growing willow cultivar (Salix miyabeana SX64). Plants were grown in hydroponic solution with a combination of glyphosate (0, 0.001, 0.065 and 1 mg l(-1)) and PO4(3-) (0, 200 and 400 mg l(-1)). We demonstrated that PO4(3-) fertilization greatly increased glyphosate uptake by roots and its translocation to leaves, which resulted in increased shikimate concentration in leaves. In addition to its deleterious effects in photosynthesis, glyphosate induced oxidative stress through hydrogen peroxide accumulation. Although it has increased glyphosate accumulation, PO4(3-) fertilization attenuated the herbicide's deleterious effects by increasing the activity of antioxidant systems and alleviating glyphosate-induced oxidative stress. Our results indicate that in addition to the glyphosate uptake, PO4(3-) is involved in glyphosate toxicity in willow by preventing glyphosate induced oxidative stress.

Meta-transcriptomics indicates biotic cross-tolerance in willow trees cultivated on petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soil.

BACKGROUND: High concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) pollution can be hazardous to human health and leave soils incapable of supporting agricultural crops. A cheap solution, which can help restore biodiversity and bring land back to productivity, is cultivation of high biomass yielding willow trees. However, the genetic mechanisms which allow these fast-growing trees to tolerate PHCs are as yet unclear. METHODS: Salix purpurea 'Fish Creek' trees were pot-grown in soil from a former petroleum refinery, either lacking or enriched with C10-C50 PHCs. De novo assembled transcriptomes were compared between tree organs and impartially annotated without a priori constraint to any organism. RESULTS: Over 45% of differentially expressed genes originated from foreign organisms, the majority from the two-spotted spidermite, Tetranychus urticae. Over 99% of T. urticae transcripts were differentially expressed with greater abundance in non-contaminated trees. Plant transcripts involved in the polypropanoid pathway, including phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), had greater expression in contaminated trees whereas most resistance genes showed higher expression in non-contaminated trees. CONCLUSIONS: The impartial approach to annotation of the de novo transcriptomes, allowing for the possibility for multiple species identification, was essential for interpretation of the crop's response treatment. The meta-transcriptomic pattern of expression suggests a cross-tolerance mechanism whereby abiotic stress resistance systems provide improved biotic resistance. These findings highlight a valuable but complex biotic and abiotic stress response to real-world, multidimensional contamination which could, in part, help explain why crops such as willow can produce uniquely high biomass yields on challenging marginal land.

High oxygen level in a soaking treatment improves early root and shoot development of black willow cuttings.

Black willow (Salix nigra) stem cuttings are commonly used to stabilize eroded streambanks with survival dependent on rapid development of adventitious roots to maintain plant water balance, absorb nutrients, and provide anchorage and support especially during flood and drought events. Soaking cuttings in water prior to planting increases survival and growth rates, but it is not known whether oxygen content in the soaking water affects the rate of early root and shoot initiation and growth. A laboratory experiment tested the hypothesis that cuttings treated with high oxygen (>95% saturation, 8.62 mg O2 l(-1)) soaking exhibit more rapid initiation and growth of roots and shoots than cuttings treated with low oxygen (<15% saturation, 1.24 mg O2 l(-1)) soaking and control (unsoaked). Root initiation was enhanced in both high and low O2 soaking treatments compared to control (100, 93, and 41%, respectively, n = 27). High O2 soaking led to greater root length than low O2 soaking during the fourth week after planting (26.5 and 12.3 cm on day 22; 27.7 and 19.1 cm on day 27, respectively). Shoot growth was greater in high O2 compared to low O2 soaking on days 36 and 56 after planting (9.3 and 6.3 cm on day 36, 10.7 and 7.2 cm on day 56, respectively). Shoot and root biomass production was stimulated in both soaking treatments, with 200% more biomass production by day 59 compared to control. Results of this study demonstrated that a high oxygen soaking treatment has potential for improving early root and shoot growth, and survival in willow cuttings planted at riparian restoration sites.