Agricultural Research Station, Bahawalpur 63100, Punjab, Pakistan; Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, 38000, Punjab, Pakistan.
Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, 38000, Punjab, Pakistan.
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Oct 20;896:165147. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165147. Epub 2023 Jun 29.
This study investigated the interactive effects of zinc sulfate nanoparticles (ZnSO NPs) and potassium fertilizers (SOP and MOP) on growth and quality of maize (Zea mays L.) under different moisture regimes in cadmium contaminated soils. It seeks to identify how these two different sources of nutrients interact to improve the quality of maize grains and fodder production to ensure food safety and food security under abiotic stresses. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse under two moisture regimes including M1 (non-limiting regime, 20-30 %) and M2 (water-limiting, 10-15 %) at Cd contamination of 20 mg kg. The results showed that ZnSO NPs combined with potassium fertilizers significantly increased the growth and proximate composition of maize in Cd contaminated soil. Moreover, applied amendments significantly alleviated the stress induced in maize by improving the growth. The greatest increase in maize growth and quality was observed when ZnSO NPs were applied in combination with SOP (KSO). The results also showed that the interactive effects of ZnSO NPs and potassium fertilizers significantly affected the Cd bioavailability in soil and concentration in plants. It was observed that MOP (KCl) enhanced the Cd bioavailability in soil due to presence of Cl anion. In addition, the application of ZnSO NPs combined with SOP fertilizer reduced the concentration of Cd in maize grain and shoot, and significantly reduced the probable health risks to humans and cattle. It suggested that this strategy could help to reduce Cd exposure through food consumption and therefore ensure food safety. Our findings suggest that ZnSO NPs and SOP can be used synergistically to improve maize crop production and development of agricultural practices in areas affected by Cd contamination. Moreover, by understanding the interactive effects of these two sources of nutrients, this research could help in the management of areas affected by heavy metals contamination. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: The application of zinc and potassium fertilizers can increase the biomass of maize, minimize abiotic stresses, and improve the nutritional value of the crop in Cd contaminated soils; this is particularly true when zinc sulfate nanoparticles and sulfate of potash (KSO) are used in conjunction. This form of fertilizer management can lead to a greater, more sustainable yield of maize under contaminated soils, which could have a major impact on global food supply. Remediation coupled with agro-production (RCA) not only improves the effectiveness of the process but will also encourage farmers to take part in soil remediation by easy management.
本研究探讨了硫酸锌纳米粒子（ZnSO NPs）和钾肥（SOP 和 MOP）在镉污染土壤中不同水分条件下对玉米（Zea mays L.）生长和品质的交互作用。它旨在确定这两种不同的营养源如何相互作用，以提高玉米籽粒和饲料的品质，确保在非生物胁迫下的食品安全和粮食安全。该实验在温室中进行，包括 M1（非限制条件，20-30%）和 M2（水分限制，10-15%）两种水分条件，Cd 污染为 20mg/kg。结果表明，ZnSO NPs 与钾肥结合显著提高了 Cd 污染土壤中玉米的生长和近等基因组成分。此外，施用改良剂可通过改善生长来显著缓解玉米受到的胁迫。当 ZnSO NPs 与 SOP（KSO）结合使用时，玉米生长和品质的增加最大。结果还表明，ZnSO NPs 和钾肥的交互作用显著影响了土壤中 Cd 的生物有效性和植物中的浓度。观察到由于存在 Cl 阴离子，MOP（KCl）增加了土壤中 Cd 的生物有效性。此外，ZnSO NPs 与 SOP 肥料结合使用降低了玉米籽粒和地上部的 Cd 浓度，显著降低了人类和牛的潜在健康风险。这表明该策略可以通过减少食物消费来帮助降低 Cd 暴露，从而确保食品安全。我们的研究结果表明，ZnSO NPs 和 SOP 可以协同使用，以提高玉米作物的产量和发展受 Cd 污染影响的农业实践。此外，通过了解这两种营养源的相互作用，这项研究可以帮助管理受重金属污染的地区。环境影响：在 Cd 污染土壤中，施用锌和钾肥可以增加玉米的生物量，最小化非生物胁迫，提高作物的营养价值；当硫酸锌纳米粒子和硫酸钾（KSO）结合使用时，情况更是如此。这种施肥管理方式可以在受污染土壤下实现更大、更可持续的玉米产量，这对全球粮食供应将产生重大影响。修复与农业生产相结合（RCA）不仅可以提高处理的有效性，还将鼓励农民通过易于管理的方式参与土壤修复。
