A comparative study of the effects of exposure to high Cd2+ (50 µM) and excess Zn2+ (600 µM) on photosynthetic performance of hydroponically-grown durum wheat seedlings was performed. At day 8, Cd and Zn were added to the nutrient solution. After 7-days exposure, the chosen concentrations of both metals resulted in similar relative growth rate (RGR) inhibitions of about 50% and comparable retardations of the CO2 assimilation rates (about 30%) in the second developed leaf of wheat seedlings. Analysis of chlorophyll a fluorescence indicated that both metals disturbed photosynthetic electron transport processes which led to a 4- to 5-fold suppression of the efficiency of energy transformation in Photosystem II. Non-specific toxic effects of Cd and Zn, which prevailed, were an inactivation of part of Photosystem II reaction centres and their transformation into excitation quenching forms as well as disturbed electron transport in the oxygen-evolving complex. The specificity of the Cd and Zn modes of action was mainly expressed in the intensity of the toxicity effects: despite the similar inhibitions of the CO2 assimilation rates, the wheat photochemistry showed much more sensitivity to Cd than to Zn exposure.

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The application of nanoparticles (NPs) has been proved as an efficient and promising technique for mitigating a wide range of stressors in plants. The present study elucidates the synergistic effect of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) in the attenuation of Cd toxicity in Phaseolus vulgaris. Seeds of P. vulgaris were treated with IONPs (10 mg/L) and SiNPs (20 mg/L). Seedlings of uniform size were transplanted to pots for 40 days. The results demonstrated that nanoparticles (NPs) enhanced growth, net photosynthetic rate, and gas exchange attributes in P. vulgaris plants grown in Cd-contaminated soil. Synergistic application of IONPs and SiNPs raised not only K+ content, but also biosynthesis of polyamines (PAs), which alleviated Cd stress in P. vulgaris seedlings. Additionally, NPs decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and electrolyte leakage (EL) in P. vulgaris plants exposed to Cd stress. These findings suggest that stress alleviation was mainly attributed to the enhanced accumulation of K+ content, improved antioxidant defense system, and higher spermidine (Spd) and putrescine (Put) levels. It is suggested that various forms of NPs can be applied synergistically to minimize heavy metal stress, thus increasing crop production under stressed conditions.

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A comparative experiment was carried out with five Bulgarian and five foreign durum wheat cultivars. The aim of the experiment was to determine the chemical content and grain technological quality of some Bulgarian and foreign durum wheat cultivars grown under the agriecological conditions of Southern Bulgaria. The Vazhod cultivar proved to give the highest durum wheat grain yield, followed by Beloslava cultivar. Out of the foreign durum wheat cultivars the Durumko was notable for its higher productivity. The crude protein content in the grain was highest in Zagorka, Yavor and Yukon. The highest yield of gluten was reported in Beloslava, Vazhod and Zagorka.

In accordance with realistic application approaches, a short-term 1-factorial experiment was set up to investigate the phytotoxic impact of pre-emergent application of the chloroacetamide herbicide metazachlor on Brassica napus. In addition to morphological parameters, the underlying processes that ultimately determine the extent of herbicide-induced phytotoxicity (i.e., herbicide metabolization and cellular antioxidant defense) were examined. The present study demonstrated that metazachlor provoked fasciation of the leaves closely after emergence, which might be linked to its mode of action whereby cell division is impaired through the inhibition of very long chain fatty acid synthesis. The increased activities of antioxidative enzymes and metabolites in leaf tissue indicated the presence of reactive oxygen species under the influence of metazachlor. This resulted in oxidative damage in the form of membrane lipid peroxidation. Simultaneously, the increased activity of glutathione S-transferase and the shift in glutathione redox state suggested activation of the detoxification metabolism. This occurred, however, at the expense of growth, with a temporary reduction in plant height and weight after application. The results indicated that metazachlor disappeared within 3 mo to 4 mo after application, which resulted in the recovery of the crop. In conclusion, metazachlor induces phytotoxicity in the short term, either directly through its mode of action or indirectly through the induction of oxidative stress, which resulted in a temporary reduction in growth. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:59-70. © 2016 SETAC.

In the present study, the complete chloroplast genome of Vitis davidii Foex strain 'SJTU003' was assembled and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. This chloroplast genome of 'SJTU003' was 161,335 bp in length, including two inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) that were separated by a large single-copy region (89,570 bp) and a small single-copy region (19,059 bp). The genome contained 133 genes, including 88 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that V. davidii is most closely related to Vitis flexuosa and Vitis amurensis.

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