In recent decades, the over-use of chemical fertilizers has imposed many environmental challenges worldwide. Nowadays, organic fertilizers such as vermicompost and livestock manure have gained a huge interest in sustainable agricultural systems. A 2-year field research was conducted as factorial based on a randomized complete block design to assay the fertilizer and humic acid (HA) efficiency on the growth responses and essential oil composition of Coriandrum sativum. The treatments were different fertilizer sources (livestock manure, vermicompost, and chemical fertilizers) and humic acid fertigation before and at the beginning of the flowering stage. The highest protein content was observed under vermicompost × HA application before flowering (0.118 μmol L−1 and 0.128 μmol L−1, respectively). Moreover, the co-application of organic fertilizers × HA at the beginning of flowering resulted in a significant increase in the photosynthetic pigments and N, P, K, Fe, Zn, and Mn content. According to the GC-FID and GC–MS analysis, linalool (55.91–63.19%), γ-terpinene (4.65–6.13%), α-pinene (2.64–5.74%), geranyl acetate (3.49–5.51%), 2-dodecanal (2.92–4.46%), menthol (1.33–3.90%), p-cymene (1.73–2.24%), and geraniol (1.25–2.15%) were the main essential oil constituents. The top linalool content was obtained by using chemical fertilizers and vermicompost × HA at the flowering onset stage. In general, the results revealed that chemical fertilizers could be replaced with vermicompost × HA and their co-application positively influenced the growth responses and the essential oil composition of coriander. Furthermore, the results obtained would be advisable to the extension section and the pioneer farmers to amend the large-scale production systems in favor of environmental health.
Phytoremediation of heavy metals (HMs) is an efficient methodology to remove toxic metals from the soil. On the other hand, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are utilized as biological fertilizers as they improve root expansion, nutrient uptake, shoot growth, and plant biological performance. In this study, the effect of AMF inoculation on the morphological traits, macro- and micronutrient contents, essential oil content (EOC), and essential oil yield (EOY) of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.) was investigated, under HM (Pb and Ni) stress in greenhouse conditions. The performed treatments were as follows: AMF (Funneliformis mosseae) inoculation (5 g kg−1 soil), and HM stress, including Pb (150 and 225 mg kg−1 soil from Pb(NO3)2) and Ni (220 and 330 mg kg−1 soil from Ni(NO3)2). The controls were the absence of AMF and HM treatments. The results showed that the contamination with Pb and Ni decreased plant height, branch number, fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, and P, K, Mg, Fe, Zn, and Mn contents. At the same time, AMF inoculation modulated the adverse effects of Pb and Ni treatments. AMF inoculation and lower concentrations of Pb and Ni increased the EOC and EOY of lavender plants, whereas the higher levels of HMs reduced the morphobiometric traits. AMF inoculation increased the Pb and Ni contents in roots. The treatment with Pb at 220 mg kg−1 led to a higher stress effect than that of Ni treatment. In conclusion, the results recommend AMF inoculation as a helpful procedure to improve the growth responses and EOY of lavender in environments polluted with the tested HMs and suggest that AMF inoculation is potentially efficient in mitigating HM stress effects.
Background Heavy metals (HMs) phytoremediation is a well-recognized protocol to remove toxic elements from the soil. As known, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) enhance the plants' growth responses. The idea of the present study was to assay the response of lavender plants to HMs stress under AMF inoculation. We hypothesized that mycorrhiza will enhance the phytoremediation and simultaneously reduce the harmful effects of heavy HMs. So, lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.) plants were inoculated with AMF (0 and 5 g Kg−1 soil) under Pb [150 and 225 mg kg−1 soil from Pb (NO3)2] and Ni [220 and 330 mg kg−1 soil from Ni (NO3)2] pollution, in the greenhouse conditions. The control treatment was plants not treated with AMF and HMs. Doing this, the root colonization, HMs uptake, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants pool, MDA, proline, total phenolics (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), anthocyanins, and essential oil (EO) components were evaluated. Results According to the findings, the AMF inoculation enhanced shoot and root Pb and Ni content, antioxidant enzymes activity, the total antioxidant activity by DPPH and FRAP methods, TPC, TFC, anthocyanins, and H2O2 content in the lavender plants subjected to Pb and Ni stress. Moreover, the highest (28.91%) and the least (15.81%) percentages of borneol were identified in the lavender plants subjected to AMF under 150 mg kg−1 of Pb and the control plants without AMF application, respectively. Furthermore, the top 1,8-cineole (12.75%) content was recorded in AMF-inoculated plants. Conclusions The overall results verify that AMF inoculation can be a reliable methodology to enhance the phytoremediation of Pb and Ni by lavender plants while maintaining reliable growth potential. The treatments improved the main EO constituents content, especially under moderate HMs stress conditions. With more detailed studies, the results will be advisable for the extension section for the phytoremediation of polluted soils.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.