The effect of vanadium on essential element uptake of Setaria viridis' seedlings

High concentrations of vanadium, a ubiquitous element in the environment, in growing media leads to deformation of root structure and leaf chlorosis and necrosis, consequently affecting the translocations of nutrients and essential elements. However, the effects of vanadium on essential element uptake, and the interactions of essential elements in the presence of vanadium, remain incompletely understood. To elucidate the effects of different concentrations of vanadium on major and trace essential elements and plant growth, a native plant species growing in a vanadium mining area, Setaria viridis (dog tail's grass), was incubated in solutions containing 0-55.8 mg/L vanadium. The shoot accumulation of four major essential elements and five trace essential elements was detected, and the root length and stem height were measured. The results showed that vanadium in soil solution enhanced the accumulation of all major essential elements in shoot. Vanadium concentrations lower than 47.4 mg/L showed an obvious positive (p < 0.05) effect on P accumulation and translocation. In the case of trace essential elements, there were threshold values for solution vanadium stimulation of element uptake. The threshold values for Cu and Zn, Fe, and Mo uptake were 4.3, 16.3, and 40.6 mg/L, respectively. When vanadium levels surpassed these values, accumulation was suppressed and the solution vanadium concentrations attenuated the solution-to-shoot translocation of most of the essential elements. Among the trace essential elements, translocation of Fe was obviously enhanced (p < 0.05) by vanadium. Solution vanadium also enhanced plant growth at lower concentrations and inhibited it at higher levels. The threshold values for stem height and root length were 36.8 and 16.3 mg/L, respectively. Concentrations of 40 and 55.8 mg/L vanadium in soil solution caused a 50% decrease in root length and stem height, respectively, showing that root length of Setaria viridis is more susceptible to vanadium toxicity than stem growth.