title: Relationships between soil parameters and physiological status of Miscanthus x giganteus cultivated on soil contaminated with trace elements under NPK fertilisation vs. microbial inoculation.
abstract: Crop growth and development can be influenced by a range of parameters, soil health, cultivation and nutrient status all play a major role. Nutrient status of plants can be enhanced both through chemical fertiliser additions (e.g. N, P, K supplementation) or microbial fixation and mobilisation of naturally occurring nutrients. With current EU priorities discouraging the production of biomass on high quality soils there is a need to investigate the potential of more marginal soils to produce these feedstocks and the impacts of soil amendments on crop yields within them. This study investigated the potential for Miscanthus x giganteus to be grown in trace element (TE)-contaminated soils, ideally offering a mechanism to (phyto)manage these contaminated lands. Comprehensive surveys are needed to understand plant-soil interactions under these conditions. Here we studied the impacts of two fertiliser treatments on soil physico-chemical properties under Miscanthus x giganteus cultivated on Pb, Cd and Zn contaminated arable land. Results covered a range of parameters, including soil rhizosphere activity, arbuscular mycorrhization (AM), as well as plant physiological parameters associated with photosynthesis, TE leaf concentrations and growth performance. Fertilization increased growth and gas exchange capacity, enhanced rhizosphere microbial activity and increased Zn, Mg and N leaf concentration. Fertilization reduced root colonisation by AMF and caused higher chlorophyll concentration in plant leaves. Microbial inoculation seems to be a promising alternative for chemical fertilizers, especially due to an insignificant influence on the mobility of toxic trace elements (particularly Cd and Zn).
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, 6 Kossutha Street, 40-844 Katowice, Poland. Electronic address: m.pogrzeba@ietu.pl.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pogrzeba
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, 6 Kossutha Street, 40-844 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Szymon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rusinowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, 28 Jagiellońska Street, 40-032 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sitko
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, 6 Kossutha Street, 40-844 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krzyżak
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, 6 Kossutha Street, 40-844 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skalska
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, 28 Jagiellońska Street, 40-032 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Eugeniusz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Małkowski
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, 6 Kossutha Street, 40-844 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ciszek
authors.affiliation: Department of Thermal Technology, The Silesian University of Technology, 22 Konarskiego Street, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Werle
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jon Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: McCalmont
authors.affiliation: Terravesta Ltd, Cedar Farm, South Carlton, Lincolnshire, LN1 2RH Lincoln, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mos
authors.affiliation: SI Technology, Górczewska 226c/26, 01-460 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Plant Physiology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW, 159 Nowoursynowska Street, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Hazem M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kalaji
mesh_terms: D059827:Agricultural Inoculants; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000032:analysis*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D006109:Poaceae / Q000502:physiology; D058441:Rhizosphere; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014131:Trace Elements
keywords: Arbuscular mycorrhiza; Cadmium; Lead; Microbial activity; Photosynthesis; Zinc