ABSTRACT Soils polluted by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) pose a high risk to human health and must be remediated. Applying biochar to such soils can reduce metal bioavailability and phytotoxicity, improving phytoremediation techniques. This study aimed to assess the effects of rice straw biochar (RSB) on mitigating metal stress and accumulation of Si, Cd, Pb, and Zn in corn plants grown in soil contaminated by metallurgy slag. Soil in pots was amended with RSB rates equivalent to 0, 5, 10, […]

Measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence can be a useful tool for detecting changes in the photosynthetic apparatus of plants. With the understanding that early detection of zinc (Zn) contamination is fundamental in environmental monitoring, the aim of this study was to assess Zn stress in castor bean (Ricinus communis) plants using X-ray chlorophyll fluorescence. The changes brought about by Zn in photosynthetic pigments and in the mineral composition of plants were also studied. Castor bean plants were grown for 28 days […]

The presence of a groundcover in-between tree rows in orange orchards can affect the water uptake and physiology of the orange trees. The objective of this study was to characterize the relationships between the physiological variables of orange leaf and soil water content in a Paleudults in groundcover management systems with bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum), leguminous perennial peanut (Arachis pintoi) and spontaneous vegetation. The study was performed in in an experimental “Pêra” orange orchard established in 1993 in Alto Paraná, northwestern […]