An Antidote for Plants Has Been Found in Russia

A method for preventing plant diseases due to the accumulation of heavy metals in them has been developed by specialists of Samara University. According to them, the "antidote" can be a class of natural substances from the soil – humic acids, which bind ions of "super poisons" better than other natural compounds. The results are presented in a number of scientific publications, for example, in the Butlerov reports.

Technological progress contributes to the active process of "metallization of the biosphere". The involvement of metal masses in production cycles and the production of various materials containing metals determines the increasingly increasing geochemical transformation of the main habitats of living organisms: soil, air, and reservoirs.

Technogenic geochemical anomalies occur, which have a negative impact on the life processes of all groups of organisms. The toxicity of many heavy metals is so significant that environmentalists classify them as super poisons, experts from Samara National Research University said.

With an increase in the metal content in the soil, its overall biological activity decreases, and plant metabolism is disrupted. Metal toxicants are distributed unevenly through plant organs, mostly "settling" in leaves in sedentary forms. For example, in the case of copper intoxication, the color of the leaves of some plants changes to red and brownish brown due to the destruction of the green pigment chlorophyll.

The research team of Samara University found that the negative effect of copper ions on plants is offset by the introduction of humic acids formed during the decomposition of dead plants in soils. This group of organic compounds contains different chemical groups capable of "capturing" metal ions into complexes or entering into redox reactions with them.

"In model laboratory experiments, we studied the effect of copper (II) ions in combination with natural and modified humic acids, as well as without them, on seed germination, growth and development of wheat seedlings. We have found that the introduction of additional humic acids into the soil slows down or completely eliminates both primary and secondary signs of poisoning of the plant with copper," said Irina Potapova, one of the authors of the study, Associate Professor of the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at Samara University.

The specialist clarified that the spring wheat variety Bezenchukskaya Niva was used as a model crop in the experiments. Germination of seeds of these plants with a different ratio of copper ions and humic acids showed that the addition of a natural component reduces the hydration of growing roots by almost half, to a normal physiological state in plants.

"It is extremely important to constantly maintain sufficient moisture in the root system of the plant. Low humidity can cause drying out, and root death will be inevitable. But excessive humidity is dangerous, first of all, with a high risk of developing rot, mold, fungal diseases, and the reproduction of harmful insects. All these symptoms indicate the accumulation of heavy metals," explained Irina Potapova.

Not only soil and peat, but also fossil coals can serve as raw materials for the production of humic substances. The use of coal as the main component for the production of natural humic substances is a promising direction and will allow the use of these substances in agricultural industries due to its safety for living organisms, the scientist explained.

Source:ria.ru

Photo: Ekaterina Dorovskaya