Arsenic stress on photosynthesis and growth in Ipomoea aquatica

An experiment was conducted to understand the effect of arsenic (As) on photosynthetic pigments in Ipomoea aquatica leaves, its growth performance and As uptake in edible plant parts. The experiment was designed with three levels of As treatments, viz. 10, 20, and 40 mg As kg-1 soil along with control, and three biological replications. I. aquatica was grown for six weeks after seed germination. Chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, carotenoid, plant height and weight increased at lower rate of As application (10 mg kg-1) in soil. Higher As (20 and 40 mg As kg-1 soil) in soil significantly decreased all the parameters except carotenoid. Both plant height and weight were significantly reduced at 20 mg As kg-1 in soil. Chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b content were significantly reduced at 40 mg As kg-1 in soil. Arsenic concentration in plant parts increased significantly at higher As concentration and exceeded the maximum limit of As (0.5 mg kg-1) for vegetables at 20 mg As kg-1 soil and above. Arsenic uptake (µg plant-1) also increased significantly with elevated levels of soil As (40 mg kg-1). Considering the growth performance, I. aquatica should not be recommended to grow where the soil As concentration is 20 mg kg-1 and above

Seasonal variation of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi colonization with some medicinal plant species of Chittagong BCSIR forest

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of seasonality on mycorrhizal colonization characteristics as hyphal, vesicular and arbuscular colonization with some medicinal plants species of Chittagong BCSIR forest of Bangladesh. Ten highly valued medicinal plants were selected randomly from Chittagong BCSIR forest to conduct the research. Root samples were collected and examined to determine fungal colonization in three times (Dry, Rainy and Winter) during the year in 2014. The result revealed that the medicinal plants of BCSIR forest were mycorrhizal. The highest hyphal colonization was obtained during rainy season of the corresponding year but decreased during dry and winter season. Vesicular colonization was attenuated during rainy season but increased in dry and winter season but arbuscular colonization was higher proportion in rainy and winter season whereas arbuscular colonization reduced in dry season. This result indicates that AMF colonization varies seasonally as well as depending on some factors like as climate, edaphic, plant host relationship and species diversity

Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi Inoculation on Growth and Uptake of Mineral Nutrition in Ipomoea aquatica

AbStrACt A green house experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of arbuscular mycorrhiza inoculation on plant growth and uptake of mineral nutrition in Ipomoea aquatica considering the objective of using environmental friendly biofertilizer instead of chemical fertilizer. A common leafy vegetable plant Ipomoea aquatica was grown with mycorrhiza and without mycorrhiza for 42 days. After harvesting the plants were analyzed for mineral nutrition concentration. Plant fresh weight, dry weight, macronutrient (P, K, Mg, Na), micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn) concentration was higher in arbuscular mycorrhiza inoculated plant than non-mycorrhiza inoculated plant. For sustainable agriculture, introducing biofertilizer by using arbuscular mycorrhiza inoculation would be one of the most efficient techniques for replacing chemical fertilizer to meet the nutrient deficiency in nutrient deficient soils of Bangladesh

Heavy Metal Concentration in Some Common Spices Available at Local Market as well as Branded Spicy in Chittagong Metropolitan City, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT A study has been conducted to evaluate some heavy metals concentration of spicy from local market of Chittagong metropolitan city, Bangladesh. Total 30 spicy samples of red chili or chili red, coriander, turmeric were collected from five different spots (Khatungonj, Chakbazar, Muradpur, Baluchora, Amanbazar) under Chittagong metropolitan city and metals as Zn, Cu, Cr, Mn, Fe concentration were measured. Metal concentration in red chili, coriander, turmeric were found as increasing order as Cu<Cr<Zn<Mn<Fe, Cu<Cr<Mn<Zn<Fe, Cu<Cr<Mn<Zn<Fe respectively. But the distribution of metal concentration in spicy of Chittagong metropolitan city was varied among the spots. Zn, Cu, Cr, Mn, Fe concentrations among the sampling spots followed the following attenuating order as Chakbazar >Khatungonj >Muradpur >Baluchora >Amanbazar, Khatungonj >Chakbazar >Amanbazar >Muradpur >Baluchora, Khatungonj >Chakbazar >Baluchora >Amanbazar >Muradpur, Khatungonj >Chakbazar >Muradpur >Amanbazar >Baluchora, Khatungonj >Chakbazar > Baluchora >Amanbazar >Muradpur respectively. So, spicy of Khatungonj was the highly contaminated with metal followed by chakbazar spicy and least metal concentrated spicy was in Amanbazar at Chittagong city. According to WHO (World Health Organization), Cr and Fe concentrations exceeded the permissible limit of heavy metals in spicy but other metal concentrations was within tolerable limit. The current research's findings will convey a strong message for the government body, policy maker to establish rules and regulation in order to protect food chain contamination, environment pollution and will be helpful for public awareness. An immediate attention from the concerned authorities is required in order to protect food chain contamination and environment pollution

Effects of straw incorporation and straw-burning on aggregate stability and soil organic carbon in a clay soil of Bangladesh

The clay soil of Bangladesh is typically low in soil organic carbon (SOC) and generally has poor soil aggregate stability (measured as mean weight diameter, MWD). The addition of organic amendments in the field has the potential to increase soil organic matter (SOM) and MWD. However, the influence of organic amendments on aggregation in the clay soils of Bangladesh is largely unknown. A short-term (105 days) field study has been conducted to evaluate the effects of straw incorporation and straw-burning treatments on MWD and SOC in clay soil under eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). This study consisted of three treatments: (i) control (no amendments), (ii) rice straw (straw applied at 21 t ha−1), (iii) rice straw-burning (ash retained after burning at 7.4 t ha−1). Soil samples were collected after plant harvest, and then MWD, SOC, glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), Fe-oxides, and available soil nutrients (e.g., N, P, K, S, Na, Ca, and Mg) were determined. Our results showed that MWD in straw addition treatment was on average 2 times higher, whereas SOC was 1.3 times higher compared to the control and straw-burning treatments, respectively (P  0.05). Our study demonstrates that the incorporation of rice straw has the potential to increase soil aggregation and SOC stock, at least for the short term in the clay soils of Bangladesh

Riquiqui and Minibrain are regulators of the Hippo pathway downstream of Dachsous

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