The effect of pot size on growth and transpiration of maize and soybean during water deficit stress

Many experiments are conducted in greenhouses or growth chambers in which plants are grown in pots. Considerable research has shown that pots can have a limiting effect on overall plant growth. This research was undertaken to examine the effects of pot size specifically on transpiration response of maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) plants undergoing water-deficit stress. Maize and soybean experiments were conducted similarly, but as separate experiments. Maize plants were grown in 2.3, 4.1, 9.1, and 16.2 l pots sealed to prevent water loss except by transpiration. For each pot size, plants were divided into two watering regimes, a well-watered control and a water-deficit regime. Water deficits were imposed by simply not rewatering the pots. Soybean was examined in a similar manner, but only the three larger pot sizes were used in the experiment. For both maize and soybean, and in both watering regimes, there was a significant reduction of shoot dry weight and total transpiration with decreasing pot size. However, there were no significant differences among pot sizes in the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW) point at which transpiration began to decline (FTSW0.31 for maize and 0.35 for soybean) or in the overall relationship of transpiration rate to soil water content in response to water deficits. These results indicated that, regardless of pot size or plant size, the overriding factor determining transpirational response to drought stress was soil water content.     

Response of shoot growth and transpiration to soil drying in sugarcane

The relationship between plant-available water (PAW) and shoot extension and transpiration is required to model crop response to water stress, and has not been previously defined for sugarcane (Saccharum spp. (L.)). We subjected sugarcane plants at the 5–6 leaf stage to a continuous drying cycle in large (42 L) pots to determine the threshold fraction of plant available water (PAW_t) at which plants slowed shoot extension and transpiration relative to plants watered daily. Transpiration rate was measured as the daily mass loss from the pots and shoot extension as the height increase from ground level to the tip of the youngest actively expanding leaf. Three experiments were conducted with cultivar Q115 covering a range of soil types (and hence PAW) and rates of soil drying. To compare the response with sugarcane, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench s.lat.), a species that has been well characterized for the relationship between PAW and transpiration and shoot extension, was grown in two additional experiments. For the same species, response curves and PAW_t for either shoot extension or transpiration were very similar for the different experiments. This similarity occurred despite there being different soils, different environmental conditions, different PAW, different times taken for the pots to dry down, and hence different rates of stress development. In sugarcane, there was almost no threshold in PAW_t (0.92) for shoot extension and a very small threshold in PAW_t for transpiration (0.85), while in sorghum PAW_t for sorghum shoot extension (0.54) and plant transpiration (0.47) were consistent with those published previously. The present data extend previous reports that sugarcane stalk extension is very sensitive to water stress, and we discuss several factors that could provide the physiological basis for the sensitivity. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Determining critical values of soil Olsen-P for maize and winter wheat from long-term experiments in China

The critical value of soil Olsen-P is the point above which the probability of crop yield response to fertilizer P is small or nil. Determining this critical value is fundamental when making appropriate P fertilizer recommendations. In this study, the critical values were determined for continuous maize (Zea mays L.)-winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping systems from a 15-year field experiment across three sites in China using linear-linear, linear-plateau and Mitscherlich models. The mean critical values for maize using the three models ranged from 12.1 to 17.3 mg P kg^?1 (average 15.3 mg P kg^?1) and for winter wheat from 12.5 to 19.0 mg P kg^?1 (average 16.3 mg P kg^?1) among study sites. The mean critical value for maize was approximately 7% lower than that for winter wheat across all sites based on the three models. Critical values identified by the Mitscherlich model were 1.4 to 2.1 times those from linear-linear and 1.3 to 1.9 times of those from linear-plateau and were crop and site dependent. There was a significant negative correlation (P?<?0.05) between the mean critical value from the three models and the observed P uptake by either maize or wheat. Our study shows that the critical values can vary with sites, crops and models used, and thus caution should be taken when selecting the most appropriate one when making P fertilizer recommendations for agronomic return and to minimize chances of negative environment impact from overfertilization.     

Influence of potassium nutrition on concentrations of water soluble carbohydrates,potassium, calcium,and magnesium and the osmotic potential in sap extracted from wheat (Triticum aestivum) ears during preanthesis development

An apparatus was made for automatic replenishment of water lost by evapotranspiration in pot experiments. The system can handle 80 pots. The upper and lower weight limit for each pot, and the weighing frequency can be set. In this way, constant soil moisture levels as well as fluctuations can be arranged. The apparatus can be programmed for continuous cycling, thus minimizing position effects within an experiment. Cumulative daily water use per pot or transpiration per plant is recorded on tape and printed. Special applications, e.g. controlled nutrient dosage and determination of transpiration coefficients are discussed.     

Effects of constant and fluctuating soil temperature on growth,development and nutrient uptake of maize seedlings

Summary The effect of constant and fluctuating soil temperature and two soil moisture regimes on the growth, development, transpiration and nutrient uptake by maize seedlings was studied in a greenhouse investigation. The constant root temperatures were maintained at 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38°C for both 250 and 750 cm of soil moisture suctions. The fluctuating root temperature, for 250 cm of soil moisture suction only, of 30–35, 30–39, 30–40, 30–45 and 30–48°C were maintained to simulate the soil temperature regime under field conditions. The constant root temperature of 35°C and fluctuating temperature between 30–40°C significantly decreased the shoot and root growth and transpiration rate. On the average, there was 1.3 and 0.7 g decrease in fresh shoot weight and 0.36 and 0.30 g in fresh root weight per degree increase in root temperature for 250 and 750 soil moisture suction, respectively. In general, the effect of high soil moisture suction on maize seedlings was more severe when at high root temperature. The shoot and root concentration of N, P, and K decreased while that of B increased with increase in root temperature. The root concentration of Zn also decreased with increase in root temperature.     

Potassium uptake efficiency and dynamics in the rhizosphere of maize (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) evaluated with a mechanistic model

Plant species differ in nutrient uptake efficiency. With a pot experiment, we evaluated potassium (K) uptake efficiency of maize (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) grown on a low-K soil. Sugar beet and wheat maintained higher shoot K concentrations, indicating higher K uptake efficiency. Wheat acquired more K because of a greater root length to shoot dry weight ratio. Sugar beet accumulated more shoot K as a result of a 3- to 4-fold higher K influx as compared to wheat and maize, respectively. Nutrient uptake model NST 3.0 closely predicted K influx when 250 mg K kg^?1 were added to the soil, but under-predicted K influx under low K supply. Sensitivity analysis showed that increasing soil solution K concentration (C_Li) by a factor of 1.6–3.5 or buffer power (b) 10- to 50-fold resulted in 100% prediction of K influx. When both maximum influx (I_max) and b were increased by a factor of 2.5 in maize and wheat and 25 in sugar beet, the model could predict measured K influx 100%. In general, the parameter changes affected mostly calculated K influx of root hairs, demonstrating their possible important role in plant K efficiency.     

Hydraulic lift in drought-tolerant and -susceptible maize hybrids

Hydraulic lift was investigated in a greenhouse study involving two drought-tolerant maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids (TAES176 and P3223) and a drought-susceptible hybrid (P3225) during the flowering stage. Root systems were grown in two soil compartments – a drier upper soil and a wetter deep soil. The plants were shaded for 3 h during the daytime. Soil volumetric water content (Ø_v) in the upper pots was measured with time domain reflectometry (TDR) before and after shading. An increase in Ø_v in the upper pot was detected with TDR in the drought-tolerant hybrids following 3 h of shading, but not in the drought-susceptible hybrid. Furthermore, water exuded from roots in the top soil layers was greater in the more drought-tolerant TAES176 than in P3223 (489 vs. 288 g per pot in 3 h, P<0.005). The sizable amount of water from hydraulic lift allowed TAES176 to reach a peak transpiration rate 27–42% higher than the drought-susceptible hybrid P3225 on the days when the evaporative demand was high. To our knowledge, this is the first experiment that reveals a significant surge of transpiration due to hydraulic lift following midday shading. Hydraulic lift also prevented soil moisture depletion in the upper pots with TAES176, but not with P3223 or P3225. Root characteristics may be responsible for differences in hydraulic lift of the three maize hybrids. There were 2.3–3.3-fold more primary roots in the deep moist soil in P3223 and TAES176 than in P3225 that may enable these hybrids to absorb and transport water at faster rates. Therefore, more water can be exuded into the upper drier soil when transpiration is suppressed by shading. Larger primary roots (20–28% larger diameter) and a higher root volume in the upper soil in TAES176 and P3223 than in P3225 may contribute to higher root hydraulic conductance and greater water efflux from the roots. The negligible hydraulic lift in P3225 may also relate to higher night-time transpiration of the hybrid. This report has documented, for the first time, the existence of genetic variations in hydraulic lift among maize hybrids and links between hydraulic lift and drought tolerance within maize plants. It appears that one of drought tolerance mechanisms in maize may lie in the extent of hydraulic lift.     

Water stress effects on leaf elongation,leaf water potential,transpiration, and nutrient uptake of rice,maize, and soybean

A pot experiment was conducted in the greenhouse to determine and compare the responses of rice (Oryza sativa L. var, IR 36), maize (Zea mays L. var. DMR-2), and soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr. var. Clark 63) to soil water stress. Leaf elongation, dawn leaf water potential, transpiration rate, and nutrient uptake in stressed rice declined earlier than in maize and soybean. Maize and soybean, compared with rice, maintained high dawn leaf water potential for a longer period of water stress before leaf water potential. Nutrient uptake under water stress conditions was influenced more by the capacity of the roots to absorb nutrients than by transpiration. Transport of nutrients to the shoots may occur even at reduced transpiration rate It is concluded that the ability of maize and soybean to grow better than rice under water stress conditions may be due to their ability to maintain turgor as a result of the slow decline in leaf water potential brought about by low, transpiration rate and continued uptake of nutrient, especially K, which must have allowed osmotic adjustment to occur.     

The relationship between competitive ability and yield stability in an old and a modern winter wheat cultivar

This study was conducted to determine if there were differences in competitive ability and yield stability on the growth of an old landrace of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum), Pinglang 40 (PL40), and a modern cultivar, Changwu135, (CW135), which differed in time of cultivar release, height, shoot and root biomass. A second aim was to investigate whether there is a relationship between competitive ability and yield stability. One pot and two field experiments were conducted to monitor changes in the competitive ability and yield stability of an old and a modern winter wheat cultivar grown in monoculture and mixtures using a de Wit replacement series. The pot study was conducted at two soil moisture levels: (a) well watered (WW), soil maintained at 85% field capacity, and (b) moderate drought (MD), soil maintained at 55% field capacity. The field experiments were conducted in 2 years that were drier than the average. In the second field experiment 40 mm of irrigation was applied to half of the plots at jointing, booting and anthesis. The results were similar in the pot and field experiments. In the mixture, the old cultivar PL40 had a greater relative yield with a larger number of spikes per plant when compared with those of the modern cultivar CW135. The dry matter per stem of CW135 tended to decrease with the increasing proportion of PL40, indicating a lower competitive ability of the modern cultivar than that of the old cultivar. The superior competition of PL40 was primarily due to the higher plant height, larger leaf area index, greater tillering capacity and larger root system. Our results showed that the modern cultivar CW135 produced a higher grain yield, yield components (except spike number), water use efficiency (WUE_g) and harvest index under both water regimes in monoculture. However, the reduction in grain yield of CW135 when subjected to water-limited conditions was less than that of PL40 in the pot and field experiments. The greater grain yield of the CW135 was associated with a higher harvest index, thousand-kernel-weight and a lower root:shoot ratio. Water consumption over the entire growing period was significantly lower in CW135 under all soil moisture conditions, and the main difference in water consumption between the two cultivars was observed before anthesis. Post-anthesis accumulation of dry matter was greater in CW135 under water-limited conditions, but there was no difference between cultivars when water was adequate. The dry matter remobilization and contribution to grain yield of CW135 was lower than that of PL40. The results of the present study demonstrated that the higher competitive ability in the old landrace led to an increased sensitivity to environmentally-induced stress. As a result, there was a greater loss in grain yield by the old cultivar when the water supply was unfavorable. In addition, the differences in the life history strategy between the old and modern cultivars imply that reducing competitive ability in the modern cultivar has led to increased yield of the crop population and greater yield stability.     

Effect of air and soil temperature on water balance of jojoba growing under controlled conditions

Jojoba [ Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider] cuttings were grown in pots under constant light intensity and vapour pressure deficit at wir temperatures of 18 and 27°C in climate-controlled cabinets. Leaf conductance and transpiration rate decreased exponentially as the xylen water potential (Ψ_x) decreased concurrently with the drying out of the soil. At high Ψ_x'leaf conductance and transpiration rate were much higher at the higher air temperature, and as Ψ_x declined both parameters decreased more rapidly at 27°C than at 18°C. When soil temperatures were decreased from 27 to 13°C, leaf water potential was not affected at either air temperatures, but transpiration rate was reduced. A linear negative correlation was found between transpiration rates and soil temperatures. It is suggested that the low soil temperature may restrict reducion of water flux in turn reduces stomatal conductance and transpiration without affecting the water potential in the shoot. The releavance of the response to changes in soil or air temperature to the performance of the plant in its semi-arid habitat is discussed.     

Enhanced uptake of soil Pb and Zn by Indian mustard and winter wheat following combined soil application of elemental sulphur and EDTA

Enhancement of Pb and Zn uptake by Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) grown for 50 days in pots of contaminated soil was studied with application of elemental sulphur (S) and EDTA. Sulphur was added to the soil at 5 rates (0–160 mmol kg^?1) before planting, and EDTA was added in solution at 4 rates (0–8 mmol kg^?1) after 40 days of plant growth. Additional pots were established with the same rates of S and EDTA but without plants to monitor soil pH and CaCl₂-extractable heavy metals. The highest application rate of S acidified the soil from pH 7.1 to 6.0. Soil extractable Pb and Zn and shoot uptake of Pb and Zn increased as soil pH decreased. Both S and EDTA increased soil extractable Pb and Zn and shoot Pb and Zn uptake. EDTA was more effective than S in increasing soil extractable Pb and Zn, and the two amendments combined had a synergistic effect, raising extractable Pb to ¿1000 and Zn to ¿6 times their concentrations in unamended control soil. Wheat had higher shoot yields than Indian mustard and increasing application rates of both S and EDTA reduced the shoot dry matter yields of both plant species to as low as about half those of unamended controls. However, Indian mustard hyperaccumulated Pb in all EDTA treatments tested except the treatment with no S applied, and the maximum shoot Pb concentration was 7100 mg kg^?1 under the highest application rates of S and EDTA combined. Wheat showed similar trends, but hyperaccumulation (1095 mg kg^?1) occurred only at the highest rates of S and EDTA combined. Similar trends in shoot Zn were found, but with lower concentrations than Pb and far below hyperaccumulation, with maxima of 777 and 480 mg kg^?1 in Indian mustard and wheat. Despite their lower yields, Indian mustard shoots extracted more Pb and Zn from the soil (up to 4.1 and 0.45 mg pot^?1) than did winter wheat (up to 0.72 and 0.28 mg pot^?1), indicating that the effects of S and EDTA on shoot metal concentration were more important than yield effects in determining rates of metal removal over the growth period of 50 days. Phytoextraction of Pb from this highly contaminated soil would require the growth of Indian mustard for nearly 100 years and is therefore impractical.     

Effect of imazapic residues on photosynthetic traits and chlorophyll fluorescence of maize seedlings

The influence of various concentrations of imazapic residues (0–800 μg kg^–1) on the growth, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic characteristics of maize seedlings was studied in a greenhouse pot experiment. Plant height, root length, shoot dry mass, root dry mass, and total dry mass of maize declined with the increase of imazapic residue concentrations. The root/shoot ratio initially decreased and then increased in presence of imazapic, which indicated that the effects of imazapic residues on plant height and root length might differ in maize seedlings. Lowered chlorophyll content and net photosynthetic rate were observed in leaves of maize seedlings in all treatments and indicated a dose-response relationship to imazapic concentrations. Intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance also declined to varying extents, but the chlorophyll a/b ratio increased gradually together with the increase of imazapic residue concentrations. Generally, the maize seedlings were negatively affected by the imazapic residues in soil. Response of root length and biomass to imazapic residues could be the important index for maize variety selection.     

水分胁迫下盆栽冬小麦根系生长与苗系生长及某些生理特性的关系

水分胁迫下,盆栽冬小麦根干重和根长密度呈直线正相关。鉴于根长密度反映了土壤中根系最活跃的部分［５］,是研究植物根系吸收水分和养分的最优参数之一［６］,本文用之研究了它与地上部生物量、净同化速率、叶水势和叶片相对含水量、气孔阻力和蒸腾速率的关系。结果表明,根长密度与净同化速率和地上部干重呈直线负相关,与叶水势和叶片相对含水量呈直线正相关;与气孔阻力呈直线负相关,与蒸腾速率呈直线正相关。为实验室进行冬小麦生长控制与生理特性控制提供了一定的基础。     

Effect of Rice Straw Incorporation on Phytotoxicity of Isoxaflutole to an Exotic Weed Phalaris minor Retz.

Phalaris minorRetz. is a major exotic annual weed in the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop. Unharvested rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw, unburned and burned, is often incorporated in the field prior to cultivating wheat. Isoxaflutole (Balance), a pre-emergent systemic soil applied herbicide, has potential to control P. minor. Glasshouse experiments were conducted to determine the phytotoxicity of isoxaflutole defined by reductions in relation to shoot length of P. minor when grown in unamended soil or soil amended with unburned or burned rice straw. A 120 g soil was amended with 0, 1, 2 and 4 g of unburned or burned rice straw, and placed in 150 mL styrofoam pots. Appropriate amount of isoxaflutole (75% active ingredient, ai) was added to pots to get final concentration of 0, 7.5, 30, 60 and 120 μg ai/pot. Unamended soil and soil amended with unburned or burned rice straw were analyzed for pH and organic matter; two important determinants of isoxaflutole activity. Results indicate a significant reduction in shoot length of P. minor when grown in soil treated with isoxaflutole at 30, 60 or 120 μg ai/pot. Inhibition in the shoot length of P. minor was observed when soil amended with unburned straw was treated with isoxaflutole at 7.5 and 30 μg ai/pot compared with unamended soil treated with similar amounts of isoxaflutole. No significant change in isoxaflutole toxicity was observed when soil amended with unburned straw was treated with isoxaflutole at 60 and 120 lg ai/pot compared with unamended soil treated with similar amounts of isoxaflutole. Isoxaflutole phytotoxicity to P. minor shoot length was eliminated when soil amended with burned straw was treated with isoxaflutole at 7.5 and 30 μg ai/pot. P. minor shoot length was greater when soil amended with burned straw was treated with isoxaflutole at 60 and 120 μg ai/pot relative to herbicide-treated unamended soils. We conclude that incorporation of burned rice straw greatly reduces the phytotoxicity of isoxaflutole toP. minor.     

不同生育期玉米叶片光合特性及水分利用效率对水分胁迫的响应

利用大型移动防雨棚开展了玉米水分胁迫及复水试验,通过分析玉米叶片光合数据,揭示了不同生育期水分胁迫及复水对玉米光合特性及水分利用效率的影响。结果表明:水分胁迫导致玉米叶片整体光合速率、蒸腾速率和气孔导度下降以及光合速率日变化的峰值提前;水分胁迫后的玉米叶片蒸腾速率、光合速率和气孔导度为适应干旱缺水均较对照显著下降,从而提高了水分利用效率,缩小了与水分充足条件下玉米叶片的水分利用效率差值;在中度和重度水分胁迫条件下,玉米叶片的水分利用效率降幅低于光合速率、蒸腾速率和气孔导度的降幅, 有时甚至高于正常供水条件下的水分利用效率;适度的水分胁迫能提高玉米叶片的水分利用效率,从而增强叶片对水分的利用能力,抵御干旱的逆境;水分亏缺对玉米光合速率、蒸腾速率及水分利用效率的影响具有较明显滞后效应,干旱后复水,光合作用受抑制仍然持续;水分胁迫时间越长、胁迫程度越重,叶片的光合作用越呈不可逆性;拔节-吐丝期水分胁迫对玉米叶片光合作用的逆制比三叶-拔节期更难恢复。     

Elemental sulfur improves growth and phytoremediative ability of wheat grown in lead-contaminated calcareous soil

Little is known about the effect of elemental sulfur on lead uptake and its toxicity in wheat. A pot experiment was conducted with the purpose to examine the impact of sulfur on improving Pb solubility in soil, and uptake and accumulation in wheat plants. The effect of three levels of lead (0, 50, and 100 mg/kg soil) and sulfur (0, 150, and 300 mmol/kg soil) was tested in all possible combinations. Root dry matter, straw, and grain yields, and the photosynthetic and transpiration rates decreased significantly with increase in the concentration of Pb in the soil. However, sulfur fertilization in the presence of Pb improved the photosynthetic and transpiration rates and consequently increased the straw and grain yields of wheat. It also enhanced Pb accumulation in roots, its translocation from roots to shoot, and accumulation in grain. S and Zn contents of different plant parts were also enhanced. Thus, by mitigating the toxic effect of Pb and improving wheat growth, sulfur enhances Pb accumulation by the aboveground plant parts and hence the phytoextraction capacity of wheat. However, total accumulation of Pb shows that wheat plant cannot be considered as a suitable candidate for phytoremediation.     

Root cooling strongly affects diel leaf growth dynamics,water and carbohydrate relations in Ricinus communis

In laboratory and greenhouse experiments with potted plants, shoots and roots are exposed to temperature regimes throughout a 24 h (diel) cycle that can differ strongly from the regime under which these plants have evolved. In the field, roots are often exposed to lower temperatures than shoots. When the root‐zone temperature in Ricinus communis was decreased below a threshold value, leaf growth occurred preferentially at night and was strongly inhibited during the day. Overall, leaf expansion, shoot biomass growth, root elongation and ramification decreased rapidly, carbon fluxes from shoot to root were diminished and carbohydrate contents of both root and shoot increased. Further, transpiration rate was not affected, yet hydrostatic tensions in shoot xylem increased. When root temperature was increased again, xylem tension reduced, leaf growth recovered rapidly, carbon fluxes from shoot to root increased, and carbohydrate pools were depleted. We hypothesize that the decreased uptake of water in cool roots diminishes the growth potential of the entire plant – especially diurnally, when the growing leaf loses water via transpiration. As a consequence, leaf growth and metabolite concentrations can vary enormously, depending on root‐zone temperature and its heterogeneity inside pots.     

Root colonization and growth promotion of winter wheat and pea by Cellulomonas spp. at different temperatures

Plant-growth-promoting bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere andphyllosphere were analysed for their colonization and growth-promoting effectson winter wheat and pea at different temperatures. The investigations werecarried out in pot experiments using loamy sand in Germany. The colonization ofstrains Cellulomonas sp. 21/2 andCellulomonas sp. 43 in the rhizosphere of winter wheat andpea were much better at 16 °C than that at 26°C. The inoculation with effective bacterial strainssignificantly increased the root and shoot growth of winter wheat and pea at 16more than at 26 °C. Bacterial inoculation also resulted insignificantly higher amount of N, P, and K contents of plant components.     

Metabolic and Ultrastructural Changes in Winter Wheat during Ice Encasement Under Field Conditions

The effect of ice encasement on the physiological, metabolic, and ultrastructural properties of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under field conditions was examined by artificially encasing winter wheat in ice during early winter. Cold hardiness and survival of ice-encased seedlings declined less rapidly in Kharkov, a cold-hardy cultivar than in Fredrick, a less hardy cultivar. Ethanol did not accumulate in non-iced seedlings, but increased rapidly upon application of an ice sheet. Lactic acid accumulated in both cultivars during late autumn, prior to ice encasement, and elevated levels of lactic acid were maintained throughout the winter in seedlings from both iced and non-iced plots. The rate of O₂ consumption of shoot tissue of seedlings from non-iced plots remained relatively constant throughout the winter, but declined rapidly in seedlings from ice encased plots. Major ultrastructural changes did not occur in shoot apex cells of non-iced winter wheat seedlings during cold hardening under field conditions. However, the imposition of an ice cover in early January resulted in a proliferation of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane system of the cells, frequently resulting in the formation of concentric whorls of membranes, often enclosing cytoplasmic organelles. Electrondense areas within the cytoplasm which appeared to be associated with the expanded endoplasmic reticulum were also frequently observed.     

Evaluation of Organic and Inorganic Amendments on Maize Growth and Uptake of Cd and Zn from Contaminated Paddy Soils

Pot and field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of soil amendments (cow manure, rice straw, zeolite, dicalcium phosphate) on the growth and metal uptake (Cd, Zn) of maize (Zea mays) grown in Cd/Zn contaminated soil. The addition of cow manure and rice straw significantly increased the dry biomass, shoot and root length, and grain yield of maize when compared with the control. In pot study, cow manure, rice straw, and dicalcium phosphate all proved effective in reducing Cd and Zn concentrations in shoots and roots. Cd and Zn concentrations in the grains of maize grown in field study plots with cow manure and dicalcium phosphate amendments to highly contaminated soil (Cd 36.5 mg kg^?1 and Zn 1520.8 mg kg^?1) conformed to acceptable standards for animal feed. Additionally both cow manure and dicalcium phosphate amendments resulted in the significant decrease of Cd and Zn concentrations in shoots of maize.