Calcium silicate ameliorates zinc deficiency and toxicity symptoms in barley plants through improvements in nitrogen metabolism and photosynthesis

Abstract

Zinc (Zn) deficiency causes serious issues to plant growth and development, negatively affecting crops in many world regions. On the other hand, Zn toxicity impairs plant growth, producing physiological alterations, and even cell death. In plants, two of the processes that most determine growth are nitrogen (N) metabolism and photosynthesis. In the last decades, several authors proved that silicon (Si) and calcium (Ca) mitigate the effects of various abiotic and biotic stresses in plants. The objective of this research is to study the effect of Si application to barley (Hordeum vulgare cv. Nure) plants grown under Zn deficiency and Zn toxicity. Hence, barley plants were grown in hydroponics and supplied with a low Zn dose (0.01 µM ZnSO4) and a high Zn dose (100 µM ZnSO4) and were supplied with CaSiO3. Parameters related to Zn accumulation, N metabolism, and photosynthesis were measured. Zn stress affected leaf Zn concentration and reduced biomass in barley plants. Both Zn toxicity and deficiency inhibited N metabolism and enhanced photorespiration, increasing stress symptoms. CaSiO3 mitigated Zn stress effects, probably regulating Zn levels in plant cells and enhancing N metabolism and photosynthesis. We conclude that CaSiO3 could be beneficial to grow barley plants in soils with high or low availability of Zn.

Nutritional and genetic variations within foxtail millet (Setaria italica) landraces collected from indigenous communities across the Philippines

“…With regards to Zn and Ca, an antagonistic interaction has been shown between these metals which leads to an ameliorative effect of Ca on Zn deficiency [55]. However, in foxtail millet a strong positive correlation was found between Zn and Ca.…”

Photosynthetic, Molecular and Ultrastructural Characterization of Toxic Effects of Zinc in Caulerpa racemosa Indicate Promising Bioremediation Potentiality

“…Among heavy metals, zinc (Zn) represents an essential element for macroalgae, microalgae and higher plants [ 22 , 27 , 28 ]. Zn deficiency induces serious consequences in plants and seaweeds, including a reduction in photosynthetic yields and nitrogen uptake, but its excessive accumulation alters different physiological and metabolic processes [ 20 , 22 , 29 , 30 ].…”

“…Zn deficiency induces serious consequences in plants and seaweeds, including a reduction in photosynthetic yields and nitrogen uptake, but its excessive accumulation alters different physiological and metabolic processes [ 20 , 22 , 29 , 30 ]. Autotrophs require an optimal Zn supply for correct growth and development, but in the last few years, the increasing amount of Zn-rich waste in terrestrial and aquatic environments has induced the hyperaccumulation of this metal [ 23 , 27 , 29 ]. An excess of Zn in the aquatic environment affects different cellular processes in aquatic macro- and microorganisms [ 31 , 32 , 33 ]: reduced growth rates have been reported in a number of algae, diatoms and cyanobacteria, resulting in oxidative stress and severe inhibition in yields [ 32 , 33 ].…”