Vermicompost Amendment in Soil Affects Growth and Physiology of Zea mays Plants and Decreases Pb Accumulation in Tissues

Zaiga Landorfa-Svalbe, Māra Vikmane and Gederts Ievinsh ()
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Zaiga Landorfa-Svalbe: Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, 1 Jelgavas Str., LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Māra Vikmane: Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, 1 Jelgavas Str., LV-1004 Riga, Latvia
Gederts Ievinsh: Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, 1 Jelgavas Str., LV-1004 Riga, Latvia

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: Minimization of the possible harmful effects of soil pollution on agricultural production and food safety are the major challenges in modern agriculture. There is great scientific interest in the detailed understanding of the physiology of lead uptake and toxicity in Zea mays , together with the search for approaches to minimizing Pb accumulation in tissues. The aim of the present study was to explore the possibility of reducing Pb accumulation in Z. mays plants cultivated in Pb-contaminated soil, by means of vermicompost amendment. Z. mays plants were cultivated at three soil vermicompost amendment rates (10, 20, and 30%), with the addition of 1000 mg L −1 of Pb in the form of Pb(NO 3 ) 2 or an equivalent amount of nitrogen in the form of NH 4 NO 3 . Additional nitrogen had a significant stimulatory effect on plant growth and physiology, but only for control plants, and at a low vermicompost amendment rate. Independently, Pb had an insignificant negative effect on plant growth and biomass partitioning, but significantly negatively affected the mineral nutrition of Z. mays plants. At a 10 and 20% soil vermicompost amendment rate, the Pb concentration in plant leaves and roots decreased by 65%, while plant biomass increased four to five times in comparison to soil-grown control plants, together with accelerated flowering. It was concluded that vermicompost is one of the most promising soil amendments for reducing heavy metal uptake and accumulation in crop plants, while also being an efficient organic fertilizer.

Keywords: chlorophyll; lead; maize; nitrate; nitrogen; organic fertilizer; physiological status (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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