Effects of excess copper in vineyard soils on the mineral nutrition of potato genotypes

Abstract

The ecotoxicological effects of copper (Cu) are of global concern due to the intensive and long-term application of Cu-based fungicides, which may cause Cu to accumulate in the soil. Relative to the effects of other metals, comparatively little is known about the accumulation and translocation of Cu and its effects on other mineral nutrients in plants. This study determined the mineral nutrient distributions under Cu toxicity in potato genotypes differing in their efficiency of use and response to phosphorus (P). Plants were grown in vineyard soils with varied Cu soil levels (2, 5, 36, 67, 96, 270, and 321 mg/kg) during the fall and spring growing seasons. The increase of Cu concentrations in plant tissues was dependent on the external Cu concentrations, and the highest concentrations were observed in root and stolon tissues. The majority of the Cu taken up by the plants accumulated in the tubers. During the fall growing season, plants classified as NER (P-nonefficient and P-responsive) showed the highest sensitivity to excess Cu in terms of growth and nutrition. The plants showing responses to Cu toxicity included plants without expanded leaves and plants without tuber production, whereas genotypes classified as ENR (P-efficient and P-nonresponsive) were able to expand their leaves and produce tubers in all tested soils. Tissue P and Cu concentrations showed a strong correlation with high Cu concentrations in Cambisols, whereas Fe and K tissue concentrations were more strongly correlated with Cu levels in Ultisols. Our data suggest that the middle and apex leaves should be used to assess Cu toxicity in potato plants. This study also provides evidence of noncompetitive uptake of Cu and Fe by potato plants.

Heavy Metal Tolerance in Plants: Role of Transcriptomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics, and Ionomics

“…For example, Zn is a cofactor for more than 300 enzymes and 200 transcription factors associated with the maintenance of membrane integrity, auxin metabolism, and reproduction (Marschner, 1995 ; Barker and Pilbeam, 2007 ; Briat et al, 2007 ; Williams and Pittman, 2010 ; Prasad, 2012 ; Ricachenevsky et al, 2013 ). However, at elevated concentrations, heavy metals produce severe toxicity symptoms in plants, and therefore, their uptake and utilization are tightly controlled by the plant cells (Janicka-Russak et al, 2008 ; Saito et al, 2010 ; Singh et al, 2012 ; Srivastava et al, 2012 ; DalCorso et al, 2013a ; Farias et al, 2013 ; Fidalgo et al, 2013 ). Some heavy metals, such as Cd, Cr, Pb, Al, Hg, etc., although being non-essential and without physiological function, are very toxic even at very low concentrations (Ernst et al, 2008 ; Janicka-Russak et al, 2008 ; Garzón et al, 2011 ; Hayat et al, 2012 ; Shahid et al, 2012 ; Chong-qing et al, 2013 ; Gill et al, 2013 ).…”

Use of phosphorus fertilization and mycorrhization as strategies for reducing copper toxicity in young grapevines

“…Additionally, due to the low natural fertility of our control soil, it may had generated nutritional deficiency in treatments without P addition, resulting in reduced plant growth. This is a common feature in Hapludalf soils of the Campanha Gaúcha region (soil used in this study) which naturally present low P contents (Brunetto et al, 2013;Farias et al, 2013).…”

“…One of the features observed under P fertilization is the capacity of plants to maintain lower Cu concentration in more sensitive photosynthetic organs (shoots), while storing most excess Cu in less sensitive organs (roots) (Yang et al, 2011;Farias et al, 2013;Ambrosini et al, 2015), contributing to greater plant growth. Additionally, due to the low natural fertility of our control soil, it may had generated nutritional deficiency in treatments without P addition, resulting in reduced plant growth.…”

Six years old and growing strongly

“…Copper was also the focus of another paper in which the effects of excess Cu in vineyard soils on the mineral nutrition of potato genotypes were investigated by Farias et al. (). Metallic trace elements such as Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn are essential micronutrients for plants an can accumulate in edible parts of a plant, and Teklić, Lončarić, Kovačević, and Singh () article addressed the contents of such elements in cereal grains and questioned how much of these elements we eat.…”