The article presents the results of research which describes antagonism between Pb-Zn in selected plant species from the area of Czestochowa – Mirow district (north-western part of the Czestochowa Upland). There were analyzed changes in the ratio of Pb/Zn in different organs of the tested plants as a function of the Zn content changes. The content of metals in the plants and the soil was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry AAS. In all organs of the plants there was observed antagonistic decrease of Pb uptake and accumulation, resulting from the increase in the concentration Zn.
Antagonism between Zn and Pb in roots of the tested plants occurred at Zn content of 200–600 μg/g. In turn, antagonism in stems and flowers occurred at lower contents of zinc (100–180 μg/g). In leaves, antagonism between Pb and Zn occurred when Zn was present at the level of 300–800 μg/g.
Ex definition of the analyses confirm the presence of antagonism of lead with regard to high levels of Zn. The study also confirmed that the degree of antagonism depends on the plant species.
In the paper the parallel compensator considered in [1] is applied to control of the plants with delay and compared with Smith predictor. It is noted that Smith predictor removes only the delay, while the parallel compensator also changes the dynamics of the replacement plant; the latter may be in some degree of freedom shaped by the designer. Owing to this the transients of the system with parallel compensator are significantly faster. Accounting implementability, the control saturations are introduced in control algorithms. Additionally it is shown that using parallel compensator we may apply a relay control to the plants with delay and nonminimum phase zeros, which is impossible by using Smith predictor. Several results of simulations are described which confirm these observations.
The investigation was carried out on forest soils collected from areas subject to variable pollution. The fraction of strontium was analyzed in soil samples from north-eastern Poland (Borki forest division), treated as a non-polluted region (natural background) and in soil samples from central (Rogów forest division) and south-western Poland (Świerklaniec forest division). The sequential extraction procedure was applied in this study to separate the fractions of strontium. Five fractions were analyzed in every genetic horizon according to the Tessier method. The concentration of strontium was also analyzed in the plants. Both results were compared in order to evaluate the mobility and bioavailability of the trace elements in the environment. The content, distribution and bioavailability of the strontium fractions were investigated with particular emphasis on the contaminated study sites. Total content of strontium in surface horizons depended on the localization. Among analysed fractions strontium, in organic soil horizons, regardless of localization, occurred predominantly in mobile fractions in all examined soils.
Changes in production methods of Ericaceae ornamental plants could have caused them to become more vulnerable to weak pathogens. The aim of this study was to investigate the casual agent of Ericaceous plant damage. Plants and peat substrate were collected from two nurseries near Poznań. After isolation on agar medium and fulfilling Koch postulates it was found that the casual agent of Ericaceae ornamenta lp lant damage was Pestalotiopsis sydowiana (Bresadole) B.C. Sutton, a new species noted in Poland.
Water is essential for plant growth and development, and the degree of its availability significantly shapes ecosystems in different climate zones. How does an overabundance or deficiency of water affect the flora in Poland and different parts of the world?
Cd and Pb concentrations were measured in water, sediment and plant organs collected from selective sites located along the Bogdanka river (Poznań, Poland) in the 2012 growing season. The aim of the investigations was to monitor changes in heavy metal (HM) concentrations in different media over the periods, as well as to evaluate potential of two littoral plants, Phragmites australis and Typha angustifolia, for phytoremediation under natural conditions. Investigations revealed differences in HM concentrations in water and sediments. Higher values were observed in sediments than in water. The decrease in concentrations of both HMs in sediments was noted in two of the three selected water reservoirs during growing seasons, which suggests the possibility of their adsorption and accumulation by aquatic plants. Both investigated plant species accumulated ample amount of Cd and Pb in underground and aboveground plant tissues, however T. angustifolia revealed higher Cd translocation potential than P. australis. The latter revealed higher Pb accumulation in two lakes. Moreover, the translocation ratio was usually higher in spring, especially for Pb, in both plant species. Increasing level of pollution load index in sediment along the Bogdanka watercourse indicates accumulation of measured HMs.
Heavy metal (As, Mn, Ni, Sn, Ti) concentrations were determined in soil and plant samples collected in different areas of the railway junction Iława Główna, Poland. Soil and plant samples were collected in four functional parts of the junction, i.e. the loading ramp, main track within the platform area, rolling stock cleaning bay and the railway siding. Four plant species occurring in relatively higher abundance were selected for heavy metals analysis, although in the loading ramp and platform areas only one species could be collected in the amount which makes chemical analysis possible. The selected species included three perennials (Daucus carota, Pastinaca sativa and Taraxacum officinale) and one annual plant (Sonchus oleraceus).
The entire area of the railway junction showed elevated concentrations of heavy metals when compared to the control level. It was most pronounced for the platform area and railway siding. The concentration of arsenic, manganese and nickel in plants growing in these parts of the junction exceeded the toxic level. The highest contamination of soil and plants found in the platform area suggested advanced emission process of the analyzed metals from wheel and track abrasion. Literature review showed that the concentration of the investigated metals in soil was generally higher than that found in centers of cities and along traffic roads proving that the railway is an important linear source of soil contamination
The antifungal effect of twenty powdered spice plants and their extracts at concentrations of 2, 4, 8 and 1, 3, 6%, respectively was evaluated in relation to the radial mycelial growth of various soilborne fungi causing damping-off disease. The spice powder or extract were added to the culture medium PDA to obtain the proposed concentrations. Concentration of 8% of powdered spices and 6% of their extracts were able to cause complete growth inhibition of major tested fungi. High significant inhibitory effect on radial fungal growth was observed for different concentrations of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), cinnamon (Cinnamomum burmannil), garlic (Allium sativum) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Meanwhile, fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), marjoram (Origanum majorana) and chamomile (Matricaria hamomilla) showed a low inhibitory effect on tested fungi. Moderate inhibitory effect was observed with the other tested spices. In the greenhouse, efficacy of spice plants as powder or their extracts in addition to the fungicide Rizolex-T used as seed dressings against faba bean damping-off incidence was evaluated in pot experiment using soil artificially infested with the disease agents (Fusarium solani and Rhizoctonia solani). Spice extracts showed superior reducing effect on damping-off disease incidence at pre-emergence growth stage to that of powder treatments and Rizolex-T as well, while an opposite effect was observed at post-emergence growth stage. Carnation and cinnamon spices showed the highest protecting effect against disease incidence when applied as powder or extracts. It is interesting to note that spice plants as powder or extracts gave a similar effect to the fungicide Rhizolex-T in reducing damping-off incidence either at pre- or post-emergence stages of faba bean growth. Promising applicable technique could be suggested in the light of the results obtained. The use of spice plants as powder or extract for seed dressing might be considered as safe, cheep and easily applied method for controlling soilborne plant pathogens considering the avoidance of environmental pollution and the side effect of pesticide application.
The paper presents plant communities from northern Wedel Jarlsberg Land. 55 species of vascular plants were described in this region. Differentiation of plant communities is discussed as controlled by habitat conditions. Plant succession in intramorainal zones of Renardbreen and Scottbreen has been also considered.
The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), is a polyphagous and holocyclic aphid which significantly damages agricultural crops. In the current study, the effects of micronutrients on some secondary metabolites of bell pepper (Capsicum annum L.) leaves and their subsequent influence on the life table parameters of M. persicae were investigated under greenhouse conditions. The flavonoid content in bell pepper leaves significantly changed following micronutrient treatments in the wavelength of 270 nm while there were no significant differences in the wavelengths 300 and 330 nm. The highest anthocyanin content was recorded after Fe treatment (3.811 mg ⋅ ml–1) while the total phenolic content in the bell pepper leaves increased after Mn (541.2 mg ⋅ ml–1) treatment compared to Fe (254.5 mg ⋅ ml–1) and control (216.33 mg ⋅ ml–1), respectively. The highest values of intrinsic (r) and finite rates of population increase (λ) of M. persicae were gained with Zn (0.320 and 1.377 day–1, respectively) treatment although the highest and the lowest values of the mean generation time (T) were found with Fe and Zn (14.07 and 12.63 days, respectively) treatments, respectively. Our findings suggest that Mn, more than Zn micronutrients, decreased ecological fitness of green peach aphid and may help enhance the efficiency of pest control techniques.
The aim of the research conducted in a 2-year pot experiment in an unheated plastic tunnel was to determine suitability of Miscanthus × giganteus for phytoextraction of nickel from soil as well as to assess tolerance of this species on increasing concentrations of this metal in soil. Pots were filled with mineral soil (sand) and a mixture of soil with high-moor peat and three levels of nickel were introduced, i.e. 75 mg dm-3, 150 mg dm-3 and 600 mg dm-3 and the control combinations used substrates without the addition of nickel. Nickel was introduced only in the first year of the experiment in the form of nickel sulfate (NiSO4 · 6H2O). Miscanthus × giganteus accumulated a considerable amount of nickel in biomass. Miscanthus × giganteus growing in contaminated mineral soil turned out to be a species tolerant to high nickel concentrations
The phytoextraction is a process that uses living plants for cleaning up the heavy metals from contaminated soil. The cadmium and lead contamination of soils results from the application of sludge or urban composts, fertilizers, pesticides, motorization, metallurgy, and different technological processes. In industrial terrain the content of cadmium and lead in soils has increased in the recent years. This study was undertaken to evaluate the potential of Amaranthus caudatus L. ‘Atropurpureus’ and Ricinus communis L. ‘Sanguineus Apache’ for phytoextraction of cadmium and lead. Two species of ornament plants, i.e. Amaranthus caudatus L. ‘Atropurpureus’ and Ricinus communis L. ‘Sanguineus Apache’, were planted in drainless containers in a substrate artificially polluted with cadmium and lead in order to evaluate their suitability for phytoremediation of soils or substrates contaminated with these metals. Cadmium was applied at increasing rates of 0, 1, 5 and 10 mg Cd∙dm-3 in the form of cadmium sulfate 3CdSO4∙8H2O, while lead was used at 0, 100, 500 and 1000 mg Pb∙dm-3 in the form of lead acetate (CH3COO)2Pb∙3H2O. The applied doses of cadmium and lead in the experiment reflected different degrees of soil pollution. After five months of growth it was found that Amaranthus caudatus L. accumulated the biggest concentrations of cadmium and lead in leaves and the lowest concentrations in inflorescences. Ricinus communis L. accumulated the highest concentrations of cadmium in stems, while the lowest concentrations in inflorescences, whereas the biggest concentration of lead was accumulated in inflorescences and the least lead was accumulated in leaves. The biggest reduction of cadmium and lead concentrations after the completion of the experiment was found in substrates, in which Amaranthus caudatus L. was grown. The tested species of ornamental plants may be used in the phytoextraction of cadmium and lead from soils contaminated.
Research over a three year period indicated that P. ramorum occurred rarely in Poland on Rhododendron spp., in spite of established monitoring in nurseries, trade stands, forest and water from early spring to late autumn each year. The pathogen was not found in forests on Vaccinium vitisidaea, Calluna vulgaris, Fagus sylvatica and Quercus rubra, proving its limited spread. The species was detected, however, from 2 rivers. P. citricola was isolated from most of surveyed plants. Besides this P. cactorum, P. cinnamomi, P.citrophthora and P. nicotianae var. nicotianae were isolated from diseased plants. Additionally Pestalotia sydowiana, species of Fusarium, Botrytis cinerea and Trichoderma were often found in diseased plant tissues. Laboratory and glasshouse research showed slight differences in colonization of plants by P. ramorum and P. citricola. However, taking into account the range of host plants, and frequency of pathogen occurrence in infected plant material and water, it became clear that P. citricola poses a much greater danger than P. ramorum to the natural environment in Poland.