Special Issue "Sustainable Approaches for Plant Conservation under Emerging Pollutants"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2021.

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Allah Ditta
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Biological Sciences, the University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
Department of Environmental Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, Dir (U), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 18000, Pakistan
Interests: plant conservation under emerging pollutants; phytoremediation of emerging pollutants; integrated and sustainable approaches; bioremediation; biofertilizers; composting from organic wastes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will focus on the use of sustainable approaches for plant conservation under emerging pollutant stress. Due to urbanization and industrialization, various emerging pollutants have come to the attention of researchers around the world. These pollutants include heavy metals, antibiotics, personal care products, pesticides, microplastics, and various others. These pollutants have detrimental effects on the growth, physiological, and biochemical parameters of plants. Various studies have reported the use of organic and inorganic amendments to protect plants under the abovementioned abiotic stresses. However, these testimonials are mostly under controlled conditions. In addition, elucidation of mechanistic coping approaches are lacking in the recent literature. Therefore, the present Special Issue will focus on the integrated novel approaches (biological, physical, and chemical) used for plant conservation under emerging pollutants. Moreover, the Special Issue will also include studies involving mechanistic elucidation of approaches used to cope with these stresses and under natural conditions. Co-contamination is a recent emerging issue which needs special attention. Reports on sustainable integrated approaches involving the abatement of co-contamination are also of interest for this Special Issue.

Dr. Allah Ditta
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • heavy metals
  • antibiotic stress
  • organic amendments
  • heavy metal-resistant PGPR
  • bioremediation
  • phytoremediation
  • biofertilizers
  • nanomaterials
  • biochar
  • zeolites
  • integrated approaches to combat different pollutants
  • personal care products
  • pesticides
  • microplastics
  • plastic-degrading bacteria

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

Article
Metagenomic Study of the Community Structure and Functional Potentials in Maize Rhizosphere Microbiome: Elucidation of Mechanisms behind the Improvement in Plants under Normal and Stress Conditions
Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 8079; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13148079 - 20 Jul 2021
Viewed by 581
Abstract
The community of microbes in the rhizosphere region is diverse and contributes significantly to plant growth and crop production. Being an important staple and economic crop, the maize rhizosphere microbiota has been studied in the past using culture-dependent techniques. However, these limited culturing [...] Read more.
The community of microbes in the rhizosphere region is diverse and contributes significantly to plant growth and crop production. Being an important staple and economic crop, the maize rhizosphere microbiota has been studied in the past using culture-dependent techniques. However, these limited culturing methods often do not help in understanding the complex community of microbes in the rhizosphere. Moreover, the vital biogeochemical processes carried out by these organisms are yet to be fully characterized. Herein, shotgun metagenomics, which enables the holistic study of several microbial environments, was employed to examine the community structure and functional potentials of microbes in the maize rhizosphere and to assess the influence of environmental variables on these. The dominant microbial phyla found in the soil environments include Actinobacteria, Microsporidia, Bacteroidetes, Thaumarchaeota, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Carbohydrate metabolism, protein metabolism and stress metabolism constitute the major functional categories in the environments. The beta diversity analysis indicated significant differences (p = 0.01) in the community structure and functional categories across the samples. A correlation was seen between the physical and chemical properties of the soil, and the structural and functional diversities. The canonical correspondence analysis carried out showed that phosphorus, N-NO3, potassium and organic matter were the soil properties that best influenced the structural and functional diversities of the soil microbes. It can be inferred from this study that the maize rhizosphere is a hotspot for microorganisms of agricultural and biotechnological importance which can be used as bioinoculants for sustainable agriculture. Full article
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Article
Growth Responses, Physiological Alterations and Alleviation of Salinity Stress in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Amended with Gypsum and Composted Cow Dung
Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6792; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126792 - 16 Jun 2021
Viewed by 400
Abstract
Salt accumulation in soils poses severe challenges for crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Scarcity of rainfall and a high evaporation rate in these regions are considered major reasons for salt accumulation. It drastically reduces the leaching of excessive salts below the [...] Read more.
Salt accumulation in soils poses severe challenges for crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Scarcity of rainfall and a high evaporation rate in these regions are considered major reasons for salt accumulation. It drastically reduces the leaching of excessive salts below the root zone of crops. The toxic effects of salts on plants can be greatly reduced with the use of biological and inorganic amendments. The present study was conducted to investigate the positive influence of gypsum (GP), composted cow dung (CCD) and the combined use of gypsum and composted cow dung (GP+CCD) on the growth, seed yield, and physiological and chemical attributes of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) in salty soil conditions. Saline-sodic soil was prepared using salts that include NaCl, Na2SO4, MgSO4, and CaCl2. It contained three levels of electrical conductivity (EC), i.e., 1.8, 6, and 12 dS m−1, and had a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 15. We noted significant deleterious effects of excessive salt stress on multiple attributes of the growth, produce, physiology, and chemical factors of sunflowers. However, treatment with GP+CCD improved all these attributes in all these conditions over the control treatment. Treatment with GP+CCD also significantly increased N, P and K contents over the control in the absence of salt stress, i.e., normal conditions. Conversely, treatment with GP+CCD caused an extreme decline in antioxidant enzyme activity (APX, GPX, CAT and SOD) and Na+/K+ ratio in seeds of up to 90, 75, and 71% over control at an EC level of 1.8, 6, and 12 dS m−1, respectively. This study suggests the combined application of gypsum and composted cow dung for better production of sunflowers in salt-affected soils, and augmented growth, yield, physiology, biochemistry and nutritional value in the sunflower seeds. Full article
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Article
Phytoextraction of Lead Using a Hedge Plant [Alternanthera bettzickiana (Regel) G. Nicholson]: Physiological and Biochemical Alterations through Bioresource Management
Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5074; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095074 - 30 Apr 2021
Viewed by 718
Abstract
Phytoremediation is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach that can be used for the remediation of metals in polluted soil. This study used a hedge plant–calico (Alternanthera bettzickiana (Regel) G. Nicholson) to determine the role of citric acid in lead (Pb) phytoremediation [...] Read more.
Phytoremediation is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach that can be used for the remediation of metals in polluted soil. This study used a hedge plant–calico (Alternanthera bettzickiana (Regel) G. Nicholson) to determine the role of citric acid in lead (Pb) phytoremediation by exposing it to different concentrations of Pb (0, 200, 500, and 1000 mg kg−1) as well as in a combination with citric acid concentration (0, 250, 500 µM). The analysis of variance was applied on results for significant effects of the independent variables on the dependent variables using SPSS (ver10). According to the results, maximum Pb concentration was measured in the upper parts of the plant. An increase in dry weight biomass, plant growth parameters, and photosynthetic contents was observed with the increase of Pb application (200 mg kg−1) in soil while a reduced growth was experienced at higher Pb concentration (1000 mg kg−1). The antioxidant enzymatic activities like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) were enhanced under lower Pb concentration (200, 500 mg kg−1), whereas the reduction occurred at greater metal concentration Pb (1000 mg kg−1). There was a usual reduction in electrolyte leakage (EL) at lower Pb concentration (200, 500 mg kg−1), whereas EL increased at maximum Pb concentration (1000 mg kg−1). We concluded that this hedge plant, A. Bettzickiana, has the greater ability to remediate polluted soils aided with citric acid application. Full article
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Article
Immobilization of Cd, Pb and Zn through Organic Amendments in Wastewater Irrigated Soils
Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2392; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042392 - 23 Feb 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 516
Abstract
Due to the scarcity of water, raw sewage effluents are often used to irrigate arable suburban soils in developing countries, which causes soil contamination with toxic metals. Soil microorganisms involved in biochemical transformations are sensitive to heavy metals contamination. The study was designed [...] Read more.
Due to the scarcity of water, raw sewage effluents are often used to irrigate arable suburban soils in developing countries, which causes soil contamination with toxic metals. Soil microorganisms involved in biochemical transformations are sensitive to heavy metals contamination. The study was designed to investigate the effect of organic amendments on the microbial activity of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) fractions and their bioavailability in soils contaminated with wastewater irrigation. Three metal contaminated soils under wastewater irrigation were collected, ground, sieved and added to incubation jars. Two organic amendments: wheat straw and chickpea straw, were applied (1% w/w) to the soil before incubation for 84 days at 25 °C. The CO2-C evolution after 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days was measured and thereafter was also measured weekly. Soil samples collected at 0, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70 and 84 days after incubation were analyzed for microbial biomass carbon (MBC). Sequential extraction for metal fractionation of samples was carried out collected at 0, 28, 56 and 84 days. Three soils differed significantly in evolved MBC and ∑CO2-C. Chickpea straw addition significantly increased soil MBC as compared to the wheat straw. Organic amendments significantly increased ∑CO2-C evolution from the soils, which was higher from chickpea straw. The addition of crop residues did not affect total Pb, Cd and Zn contents in soils. The concentration of exchangeable, carbonate bound and residual fractions of Pb, Cd and Zn decreased (6–27%), while the organic matter bound fraction increased (4–75%) with straw addition. Overall, the organic amendments improved microbial activity and reduce the bioavailability of toxic metals in wastewater irrigated soils. Furthermore, organic amendments not only reduce economic losses as they are cheap to produce but also minimize human health risks from heavy metals by hindering their entry into the food chain. Full article
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