title: [Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis influences the biological effects of nano-ZnO on maize].
abstract: Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) can be taken up and accumulated in plants, then enter human bodies via food chain, and thus cause potential health risk. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi form mutualistic symbioses with the majority of higher plants in terrestrial ecosystems, and potentially influence the biological effects of ENPs. The present greenhouse pot culture experiment studied the effects of inoculation with or without arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Acaulospora mellea on growth and nutritional status of maize under different nano-ZnO levels (0, 500, 1 000, 2000 and 3 000 mg x kg(-1)) artificially added into soil. Results showed that with the increasing nano-ZnO levels in soil, mycorrhizal colonization rate and biomass of maize plants showed a decreasing trend, total root length, total surface area and total volume reduced, while Zn concentration and uptake in plants gradually increased, and P, N, K, Fe, and Cu uptake in shoots all decreased. Compared with the controls, arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation improved the growth and P, N and K nutrition of maize, enhanced total root length, total surface area and total volume, and increased Zn allocation to roots when nano-ZnO was added. Our results firstly show that nano-ZnO in soil induces toxicity to arbuscular mycorrhizae, while arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation can alleviate its toxicity and play a protective role in plants.
authors.forename: Wei-Zhong
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fa-Yuan
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xue-Qin
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000502:physiology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D013559:Symbiosis; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D015034:Zinc Oxide