Effects of combined application of Se and ammonium fertilizers on the growth and nutritional quality of maize in Hg-polluted soil under two irrigation conditions and its health risk assessment
Contact us if these videos are not relevant.
Contact us if these videos are not relevant.
View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Selenium (Se) and ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4) fertilizers enhance maize growth and quality in mercury (Hg)-contaminated soil. This combination effectively reduces Hg accumulation in plants, ensuring food safety and boosting agricultural production in polluted areas.
Area Of Science
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
- Plant Nutrition
Background
- Mercury (Hg) contamination in soil poses a significant threat to crop safety and food security.
- Maize (Zea mays L.) is a staple crop susceptible to heavy metal accumulation, impacting human health.
- Understanding nutrient interactions is crucial for mitigating heavy metal stress in agricultural systems.
Purpose Of The Study
- To investigate the interactive effects of selenium (Se) and ammonium fertilizers on maize growth and grain quality in Hg-contaminated soil.
- To determine how Se and ammonium (NH4+)-N sources improve maize yield, quality, and safety under Hg stress.
- To assess the impact of different irrigation conditions on these interactions.
Main Methods
- Field experiment with maize grown in Hg-contaminated soil under two irrigation regimes (W1: complete, W2: restricted).
- Application of selenium (sodium selenite, Na2SeO3) and ammonium fertilizers (ammonium sulfate, (NH4)2SO4; ammonium chloride, NH4Cl).
- Analysis of maize growth parameters, grain quality, soil available Hg/methylmercury (MeHg), and plant Hg/MeHg concentrations.
Main Results
- Combined Se and ammonium fertilizer treatments significantly improved maize growth and grain quality in Hg-polluted soil.
- The combination of Na2SeO3 and (NH4)2SO4 yielded the highest improvements in maize growth and quality.
- Na2SeO3 or (NH4)2SO4 treatments reduced soil available Hg/MeHg and plant Hg/MeHg accumulation, lowering health risks, unlike NH4Cl.
Conclusions
- Selenium and ammonium sulfate can be effectively used together to enhance maize yield and quality in Hg-contaminated soils.
- This strategy mitigates Hg stress in maize by increasing Se content and reducing Hg/MeHg accumulation, ensuring food safety.
- The findings support the use of Se and (NH4)2SO4 for managing heavy metal pollution in agricultural lands and improving global food production.
Contact us if these videos are not relevant.
Contact us if these videos are not relevant.
Related Concept Videos
Like all living organisms, plants require organic and inorganic nutrients to survive, reproduce, grow and maintain homeostasis. To identify nutrients that are essential for plant functioning, researchers have leveraged a technique called hydroponics. In hydroponic culture systems, plants are grown—without soil—in water-based solutions containing nutrients. At least 17 nutrients have been identified as essential elements required by plants. Plants acquire these elements from the...
Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
Plant cell cytoplasm has a high solute concentration, which causes water to flow from the soil into the plant due to osmosis. However, excess salt in the surrounding soil increases the soil solute concentration, reducing the plant’s ability to take up...