MycorrhizalLimonium Sinuatum(l.) Mill. Enhances Accumulation of Lead and Cadmium

Abstract

Heavy metals accumulation in soils poses a potential threat to ecosystems, which, in turn, threat human health through food chains. Therefore, remediating polluted sites is important to environment and humanity. In this investigation, statice (L. sinuatum) was exposed to Cd (0, 15, 30, 60 mg kg(-1) soil) or Pb (0, 100, 150, 300 mg kg(-1) soil) in a pot experiment to assess its tolerance to each metal and study its phytoaccumulation capability. The benefits of mycorrhization (mixture of Glomus mosseae and G. intraradices) were also studied simultaneously. Single exposure to Cd or Pb reduced the plant growth, but statice was still relatively tolerant to both metals. The plants accumulated both metals in their roots; little was translocated to the shoots. Total Pb and total Cd accumulated by the roots was approximately 2 and 3 times higher in mycorrhizal than non-mycorrhizal plants (49 versus 147 and 595 versus 956 μg plant(-1)) respectively; however, mycorrhization alleviated metal phytotoxicity. The results suggest that statice is a potential candidate to be used as an ornamental plant in lead and cadmium polluted sites, mainly inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizae. Besides that, it would be useful as a Pb or Cd controlling agent by means of phytostabilization.

Salt-tolerance screening in Limonium sinuatum varieties with different flower colors

“…The calyxes remain long after the petals have disappeared, making the flowers attractive for long periods of time and excellent for use as fresh cut flowers or in dried arrangements 5 . The flower stems are approximately 40–50 cm tall, each flower stem has 2–3 branches with 5–6 flowers clustered together, and the diameter of each flower is ~ 0.5 cm 6 . L. sinuatum is commonly referred to as statice, sea lavender, sea notchleaf 7 , or wavyleaf sea lavender when used for gardening or floral arrangements 7 .…”

Constitutive and Induced Salt Tolerance Mechanisms and Potential Uses of Limonium Mill. Species

“…Hubb. & Sandwith proved to be tolerant to trace element contamination [70], and L. sinuatum is a good candidate for lead and cadmium decontamination [71].…”

“…The presence of well-developed sclerenchyma in the underground organs of Limonium halophytic species could be interpreted as an adaptation to the harsh environmental conditions of the plants' natural habitats [71]. Indeed, sclerenchymatic rings, as well as the groups of sclereids found in the rhizome, could confer to the underground system the mechanical resistance needed to penetrate the dry, compact soil to reach the water table.…”

“…These structures can be differently nominated: mechanical idioblasts [75], spicular cells (stereids, sclereids, idioblasts) [71], sclereids in the form of idioblasts [80], sclereidal idioblasts [81], sclereides [84] and likely play a mechanical role, conferring the coriaceous aspect of the leaves of Limonium species [71]. A typical anatomical trait of Plumbaginaceae is the presence of glands: chalk glands (Mettenius or Licopoli glands-salt glands-Figure 4a-d) and mucilage glands located on leaves and stems [71]. This feature classifies halophyte species from Plumbaginaceae in the group of recretohalophytes (that secrete salt via salt bladders and salt glands-the case of Limonium species).…”

“…This feature classifies halophyte species from Plumbaginaceae in the group of recretohalophytes (that secrete salt via salt bladders and salt glands-the case of Limonium species). Salt glands are particularly well-known and of great scientific interest from the historical (see [73] and references therein), anatomical [71,73,78,85], physiological [86] and evolutionary [87,88] points of view. Within the recretohalophytes from Plumbaginaceae, recent data report 48 species of Limonium to have salt glands [87].…”