Among the toxic elements, Cd has received considerable attention in view of its association with a number of human health problems. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the Cd availability and accumulation in soil, transfer rate and toxicity in lettuce and rice plants grown in a Cd-contaminated Typic Hapludox. Two simultaneous greenhouse experiments with lettuce and rice test plants were conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments consisted of four Cd rates (CdCl2), […]

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to evaluate: (a) the soil Cd and Zn availability to maize plants with and without liming, using the DTPA, EDTA, Mehlich-1, and Mehlich-3 extractants; (b) The effect of Cd and Zn doses on plant growth and metal accumulation in maize; and (c) toxicity symptoms and anatomical changes in leaves and roots exposed to Cd and zinc. Maize was grown for 30 days in soil contaminated with either Cd (0, 1, 3, 5, 10, 20 […]

In this study available cooper (Cu) content in different sources of this micronutrient was determined using several extractants. The cooper sources were: coppper oxide p.a. + copper powder p.a., copper oxide 40 Ind., CuSO4.5H2O p.a., chalcopyrite ore, copper powder p.a. and copper oxide p.a., and they were used in the following extraction procedures: total Cu content and soluble Cu contents in water, citric acid at 20 g L-1, neutral ammonium citrate (1 + 9) and DTPA at 0.005 mol L-1. […]

Zinc solubility in fertilizers (zinc sulfate, zinc oxide, metallic zinc and four FTE) was determined using water, 20 g L-1 citric acid, neutral ammonium citrate (1 + 9) and DTPA as extractant solutions, and the correlation with the availability of this micronutrient for rice and corn plants established. Zinc was most accessible for the plants in sulfate form, followed by oxide, while FTE presented the lowest availability. Neutral ammonium citrate (1 + 9), at a ratio of 1:100 and after […]