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Sustainable Approaches for Plant Conservation under Emerging Pollutants

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 22472

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Dr. Allah Ditta

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School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
Interests: plant conservation under emerging pollutants; phytoremediation of emerging pollutants; integrated and sustainable approaches; bioremediation; biofertilizers; composting from organic wastes
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will focus on the use of sustainable approaches for plant conservation under emerging pollutant stress. Due to urbanization and industrialization, various emerging pollutants have come to the attention of researchers around the world. These pollutants include heavy metals, antibiotics, personal care products, pesticides, microplastics, and various others. These pollutants have detrimental effects on the growth, physiological, and biochemical parameters of plants. Various studies have reported the use of organic and inorganic amendments to protect plants under the abovementioned abiotic stresses. However, these testimonials are mostly under controlled conditions. In addition, elucidation of mechanistic coping approaches are lacking in the recent literature. Therefore, the present Special Issue will focus on the integrated novel approaches (biological, physical, and chemical) used for plant conservation under emerging pollutants. Moreover, the Special Issue will also include studies involving mechanistic elucidation of approaches used to cope with these stresses and under natural conditions. Co-contamination is a recent emerging issue which needs special attention. Reports on sustainable integrated approaches involving the abatement of co-contamination are also of interest for this Special Issue.

Dr. Allah Ditta
Guest Editor

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Keywords

heavy metals
antibiotic stress
organic amendments
heavy metal-resistant PGPR
bioremediation
phytoremediation
biofertilizers
nanomaterials
biochar
zeolites
integrated approaches to combat different pollutants
personal care products
pesticides
microplastics
plastic-degrading bacteria

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inoculation with the pH Lowering Plant Growth Promoting Bacterium Bacillus sp. ZV6 Enhances Ni Phytoextraction by Salix alba from a Ni-Polluted Soil Receiving Effluents from Ni Electroplating Industry

by Zaheer Abbas Virk, Dunia A. Al Farraj, Muhammad Iqbal, Karolina Lewińska and Sabir Hussain

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 6975; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14126975 - 07 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1765

Abstract

Soil contamination with Ni poses serious ecological risks to the environment. Several members of the Salix genus have the ability to accumulate high concentrations of Ni in their aerial parts, and thus can be used for the remediation of Ni-contaminated soils. Interestingly, the efficacy of Ni phytoextraction by Salix may be improved by the acidification of rhizosphere with rhizosphere acidifying bacterial strains. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of bacterial strain Bacillus sp. ZV6 in the presence of animal manure (AM) and leaf manure (LM) for enhancing the bioavailability of Ni in the rhizosphere of Salix alba via reducing the pH of rhizosphere and resultantly, enhanced phytoextraction of Ni. Inoculation of Ni-contaminated soil with strain ZV6 significantly increased plant growth as well as Ni uptake by alba. It was found that the addition of AM and LM resulted into a significant increase in plant growth and Ni uptake by alba in Ni-contaminated soil inoculated with ZV6 stain. However, the highest improvements in diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) extractable Ni (10%), Ni removal from soil (54%), Ni bioconcentration factor (26%) and Ni translocation factor (13%) were detected in the soil inoculated with ZV6 along with the addition of LM, compared to control. Similarly, the enhancements in microbial biomass (92%), bacterial count (348%), organic carbon (organic C) (57%) and various enzymatic activities such as urease (56%), dehydrogenase (32%), β-glucosidase (53%), peroxidase (26%) and acid phosphatase (38%) were also significantly higher in the soil inoculated with ZV6 along with the addition of LM. The findings of this study suggest that the inoculation of Ni-contaminated soils with rhizosphere acidifying bacteria can effectively improve Ni phytoextraction and, in parallel, enhance soil health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Approaches for Plant Conservation under Emerging Pollutants)

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19 pages, 4216 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exogenous Caffeine (1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine) Application Diminishes Cadmium Toxicity by Modulating Physio-Biochemical Attributes and Improving the Growth of Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.)

by Naila Emanuil, Muhammad Sohail Akram, Shafaqat Ali, Ali Majrashi, Muhammad Iqbal, Mohamed A. El-Esawi, Allah Ditta and Hesham F. Alharby

Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 2806; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052806 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2890

Abstract

Leafy vegetables usually absorb and retain heavy metals more readily than most of the other crop plants, and thus contribute ≥70% of the total cadmium (Cd) intake of humans. Caffeine mediates plant growth and has proved to be beneficial against pathogens and insects. Therefore, it was hypothesized that foliar applications of caffeine could alter metabolism and reduce Cd toxicity in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). Seven-day old spinach seedlings were provided with Cd (0, 50, and 100 µM) stress. Caffeine (0, 5, or 10 mM) foliar spray was given twice at after 20 days of seeds germination with an interval of one week. In results, Cd stress reduced photosynthetic pigments biosynthesis, increased oxidative stress, imbalanced nutrient retention, and inhibited plant growth. On the other hand, the caffeine-treated spinach plants showed better growth owing to the enhanced biosynthesis of chlorophylls, better oxidative defense systems, and lower accumulation and transport of Cd within the plant tissues. Furthermore, caffeine application enhanced the accumulation of the proline and ascorbic acid, but reduced MDA and H₂O₂ contents and Cd in plant leaves, and ultimately improved mineral nutrition of spinach plants exposed to different Cd regimes. In conclusion, exogenous application of caffeine significantly diminishes Cd stress by modulating physiological, biochemical, and growth attributes of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Approaches for Plant Conservation under Emerging Pollutants)

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17 pages, 1788 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Symbiotic Association between Various Rhizobia, Capable of Producing Plant-Growth-Promoting Biomolecules, and Mung Bean for Sustainable Production

by Abid Mahmood, Tanvir Shahzad, Sabir Hussain, Qasim Ali, Hayssam M. Ali, Sanaullah Yasin, Muhammad Ibrahim, Mohamed Z. M. Salem and Muhammad Khalid

Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13832; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413832 - 14 Dec 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1937

Abstract

To feed the increased world population, sustainability in the production of crops is the need of the hour, and exploration of an effective symbiotic association of rhizobia with legumes may serve the purpose. A laboratory-scale experiment was conducted to evaluate the symbiotic effectiveness of twenty wild rhizobial isolates (MR1–MR20) on the growth, physiology, biochemical traits, and nodulation of mung bean to predict better crop production with higher yields. Rhizobial strain MR4 resulted in a 52% increase in shoot length and 49% increase in shoot fresh mass, while MR5 showed a 30% increase in root length, with 67% and 65% improvement in root fresh mass by MR4 and MR5, respectively, compared to uninoculated control. Total dry matter of mung bean was enhanced by 73% and 68% with strains MR4 and MR5 followed by MR1 and MR3 with 60% increase in comparison to control. Rhizobial strain MR5 produced a maximum (25 nodules) number of nodules followed by MR4, MR3, and MR1 which produced 24, 23, and 21 nodules per plant. Results related to physiological parameters showed the best performance of MR4 and MR5 compared to control among all treatments. MR4 strain helped the plants to produce the lowest values of total soluble protein (TSP) (38% less), flavonoids contents (44% less), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents (52% less) among all treatments compared to uninoculated control plants. Total phenolics contents of mung bean plants also showed significantly variable results, with the highest value of 54.79 mg kg⁻¹ in MR4 inoculated plants, followed by MR5 and MR1 inoculated plants, while the minimum concentration of total phenolics was recorded in uninoculated control plants of mung bean. Based on the results of growth promotion, nodulation ability, and physiological and biochemical characteristics recorded in an experimental trial conducted under gnotobiotic conditions, four rhizobial isolates (MR1, MR3, MR4, and MR5) were selected using cluster and principal component analysis. Selected strains were also tested for a variety of plant-growth-promoting molecules to develop a correlation with the results of plant-based parameters, and it was concluded that these wild rhizobial strains were effective in improving sustainable production of mung bean. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Approaches for Plant Conservation under Emerging Pollutants)

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14 pages, 2554 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diminishing Heavy Metal Hazards of Contaminated Soil via Biochar Supplementation

by Mahrous Awad, Mahmuod M. El-Sayed, Xiang Li, Zhongzhen Liu, Syed Khalid Mustafa, Allah Ditta and Kamel Hessini

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12742; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212742 - 18 Nov 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 1991

Abstract

Depending on the geochemical forms, heavy metal (HM) accumulation is one of the most serious environmental problems in the world and poses negative impacts on soil, plants, animals, and humans. Although the use of biochar to remediate contaminated soils is well known, the huge quantities of waste used and its recycling technique to sustain soil in addition to its use conditions are determinant factors for its characteristics and uses. A pot experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design to evaluate metal forms and their availability under the application of garden waste biochar (GB) pyrolyzed at different temperatures, and a sequential extraction procedure was designed to fractionate Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu of the contaminated soil. The results show that the TCLP-extractable Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu were significantly decreased depending on the biochar addition rate, pyrolysis temperature, and tested metal. The acid extractable fraction was significantly decreased by 51.54, 26.42, 16.01, and 74.13% for Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu, respectively, at the highest application level of GB₄₀₀ compared to untreated pots. On the other hand, the organic matter bound fraction increased by 76.10, 54.69, 23.72, and 43.87% for the corresponding metals. The Fe/Mn oxide bound fraction was the predominant portion of lead (57.25–62.84%), whereas the acid fraction was major in the case of Cd (58.06–77.05%). The availability of these metals varied according to the application rate, pyrolysis temperature, and examined metals. Therefore, the GB is a nominee as a promising practice to reduce HM risks, especially pyrolyzed at 400 °C by converting the available fraction into unavailable ones. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Approaches for Plant Conservation under Emerging Pollutants)

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28 pages, 20400 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Metagenomic Study of the Community Structure and Functional Potentials in Maize Rhizosphere Microbiome: Elucidation of Mechanisms behind the Improvement in Plants under Normal and Stress Conditions

by Oluwadara Pelumi Omotayo, Ozede Nicholas Igiehon and Olubukola Oluranti Babalola

Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 8079; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13148079 - 20 Jul 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3486

Abstract

The community of microbes in the rhizosphere region is diverse and contributes significantly to plant growth and crop production. Being an important staple and economic crop, the maize rhizosphere microbiota has been studied in the past using culture-dependent techniques. However, these limited culturing methods often do not help in understanding the complex community of microbes in the rhizosphere. Moreover, the vital biogeochemical processes carried out by these organisms are yet to be fully characterized. Herein, shotgun metagenomics, which enables the holistic study of several microbial environments, was employed to examine the community structure and functional potentials of microbes in the maize rhizosphere and to assess the influence of environmental variables on these. The dominant microbial phyla found in the soil environments include Actinobacteria, Microsporidia, Bacteroidetes, Thaumarchaeota, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Carbohydrate metabolism, protein metabolism and stress metabolism constitute the major functional categories in the environments. The beta diversity analysis indicated significant differences (p = 0.01) in the community structure and functional categories across the samples. A correlation was seen between the physical and chemical properties of the soil, and the structural and functional diversities. The canonical correspondence analysis carried out showed that phosphorus, N-NO₃, potassium and organic matter were the soil properties that best influenced the structural and functional diversities of the soil microbes. It can be inferred from this study that the maize rhizosphere is a hotspot for microorganisms of agricultural and biotechnological importance which can be used as bioinoculants for sustainable agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Approaches for Plant Conservation under Emerging Pollutants)

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17 pages, 1615 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growth Responses, Physiological Alterations and Alleviation of Salinity Stress in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Amended with Gypsum and Composted Cow Dung

by Muhammad Naveed, Muhammad Kamran Aslam, Zulfiqar Ahmad, Tasawar Abbas, Asma A. Al-Huqail, Manzer H. Siddiqui, Hayssam M. Ali, Irfan Ashraf and Adnan Mustafa

Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6792; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126792 - 16 Jun 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2662

Abstract

Salt accumulation in soils poses severe challenges for crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Scarcity of rainfall and a high evaporation rate in these regions are considered major reasons for salt accumulation. It drastically reduces the leaching of excessive salts below the root zone of crops. The toxic effects of salts on plants can be greatly reduced with the use of biological and inorganic amendments. The present study was conducted to investigate the positive influence of gypsum (GP), composted cow dung (CCD) and the combined use of gypsum and composted cow dung (GP+CCD) on the growth, seed yield, and physiological and chemical attributes of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) in salty soil conditions. Saline-sodic soil was prepared using salts that include NaCl, Na₂SO₄, MgSO_4, and CaCl₂. It contained three levels of electrical conductivity (EC), i.e., 1.8, 6, and 12 dS m⁻¹, and had a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 15. We noted significant deleterious effects of excessive salt stress on multiple attributes of the growth, produce, physiology, and chemical factors of sunflowers. However, treatment with GP+CCD improved all these attributes in all these conditions over the control treatment. Treatment with GP+CCD also significantly increased N, P and K contents over the control in the absence of salt stress, i.e., normal conditions. Conversely, treatment with GP+CCD caused an extreme decline in antioxidant enzyme activity (APX, GPX, CAT and SOD) and Na⁺/K⁺ ratio in seeds of up to 90, 75, and 71% over control at an EC level of 1.8, 6, and 12 dS m⁻¹, respectively. This study suggests the combined application of gypsum and composted cow dung for better production of sunflowers in salt-affected soils, and augmented growth, yield, physiology, biochemistry and nutritional value in the sunflower seeds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Approaches for Plant Conservation under Emerging Pollutants)

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13 pages, 2858 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytoextraction of Lead Using a Hedge Plant [Alternanthera bettzickiana (Regel) G. Nicholson]: Physiological and Biochemical Alterations through Bioresource Management

by Urooj Kanwal, Muhammad Ibrahim, Farhat Abbas, Muhammad Yamin, Fariha Jabeen, Anam Shahzadi, Aitazaz A. Farooque, Muhammad Imtiaz, Allah Ditta and Shafaqat Ali

Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5074; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095074 - 30 Apr 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2357

Abstract

Phytoremediation is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach that can be used for the remediation of metals in polluted soil. This study used a hedge plant–calico (Alternanthera bettzickiana (Regel) G. Nicholson) to determine the role of citric acid in lead (Pb) phytoremediation by exposing it to different concentrations of Pb (0, 200, 500, and 1000 mg kg⁻¹) as well as in a combination with citric acid concentration (0, 250, 500 µM). The analysis of variance was applied on results for significant effects of the independent variables on the dependent variables using SPSS (ver10). According to the results, maximum Pb concentration was measured in the upper parts of the plant. An increase in dry weight biomass, plant growth parameters, and photosynthetic contents was observed with the increase of Pb application (200 mg kg⁻¹) in soil while a reduced growth was experienced at higher Pb concentration (1000 mg kg⁻¹). The antioxidant enzymatic activities like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) were enhanced under lower Pb concentration (200, 500 mg kg⁻¹), whereas the reduction occurred at greater metal concentration Pb (1000 mg kg⁻¹). There was a usual reduction in electrolyte leakage (EL) at lower Pb concentration (200, 500 mg kg⁻¹), whereas EL increased at maximum Pb concentration (1000 mg kg⁻¹). We concluded that this hedge plant, A. Bettzickiana, has the greater ability to remediate polluted soils aided with citric acid application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Approaches for Plant Conservation under Emerging Pollutants)

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16 pages, 1997 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Immobilization of Cd, Pb and Zn through Organic Amendments in Wastewater Irrigated Soils

by Kouser Majeed Malik, Khalid Saifullah Khan, Shah Rukh, Ahmad Khan, Saba Akbar, Motsim Billah, Saqib Bashir, Subhan Danish, Mona S Alwahibi, Mohamed Soliman Elshikh, Abdullah Ahmed Al-Ghamdi and Abd El-Zaher M. A. Mustafa

Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2392; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042392 - 23 Feb 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2905

Abstract

Due to the scarcity of water, raw sewage effluents are often used to irrigate arable suburban soils in developing countries, which causes soil contamination with toxic metals. Soil microorganisms involved in biochemical transformations are sensitive to heavy metals contamination. The study was designed to investigate the effect of organic amendments on the microbial activity of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) fractions and their bioavailability in soils contaminated with wastewater irrigation. Three metal contaminated soils under wastewater irrigation were collected, ground, sieved and added to incubation jars. Two organic amendments: wheat straw and chickpea straw, were applied (1% w/w) to the soil before incubation for 84 days at 25 °C. The CO₂-C evolution after 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days was measured and thereafter was also measured weekly. Soil samples collected at 0, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70 and 84 days after incubation were analyzed for microbial biomass carbon (MBC). Sequential extraction for metal fractionation of samples was carried out collected at 0, 28, 56 and 84 days. Three soils differed significantly in evolved MBC and ∑CO₂-C. Chickpea straw addition significantly increased soil MBC as compared to the wheat straw. Organic amendments significantly increased ∑CO₂-C evolution from the soils, which was higher from chickpea straw. The addition of crop residues did not affect total Pb, Cd and Zn contents in soils. The concentration of exchangeable, carbonate bound and residual fractions of Pb, Cd and Zn decreased (6–27%), while the organic matter bound fraction increased (4–75%) with straw addition. Overall, the organic amendments improved microbial activity and reduce the bioavailability of toxic metals in wastewater irrigated soils. Furthermore, organic amendments not only reduce economic losses as they are cheap to produce but also minimize human health risks from heavy metals by hindering their entry into the food chain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Approaches for Plant Conservation under Emerging Pollutants)

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