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There is little information available on the impact of superphosphate and compost on the uptake of metals by okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench). The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of superphosphate and compost in reducing metals uptake by okra to healthy acceptable levels. A field experiment in randomized complete block design (RCBD) was conducted to investigate the effect of superphosphate (SP) and compost (C) on the availability and uptake of heavy metals by okra cultivated on a metals contaminated soil. The application of SP or C significantly (P 0.05) reduced the availability and uptake of Cu, Pb, and Cd by okra. The C+SP treatment reduced the concentrations of Zn, Pb, and Cd in the edible portion of okra by 14, 35, and 38%. The combined application of C and SP was more effective in reducing the Zn, Pb, and Cd concentrations compared to the sole application of each amendment. The edible portion of okra collected from the unfertilized contaminated soil or that which received only C or SP contained toxic levels of Pb and Cd, while the concentrations of the two metals were below the safe limits when the two amendments were applied together. The result of the current study clearly indicated that it is feasible to apply P fertilizer and compost together to alleviate root-to-shoot transfer of Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd in okra.

Phytostabilization of heavy metals in contaminated soils should be subject to two conditions, the first is the choice plant must be able to stabilize heavy metals in soil, the second is the plant material which produced from the phytostabilization process must be safe and useful to avoid overload on environmental system. A field experiment was conducted out to evaluate the phytostabilization potential of two halophytes species (Atriplex lentiformis and Atriplex undulata). Compost at rates of 0, 15 and 30 ton ha-1 was used to examine its role in plant growth and heavy metals uptake. The high rate of compost (30 ton ha-1) decreased zinc (Zn) concentrations in the leaves of A. lentiformis and A. undulata by 15.8 and 13.0%, while lead (Pb) in the leaves decreased by 37.6 and 35.2% respectively. Despite the extremely high total heavy metals concentrations in the studied soil, plants of Atriplex were able grow and maintain shoots metals content below the toxic level and the produced plant materials had a high nutritive value compared to the conventional forage crops. Phosphorus (P) and chloride (Cl) in the roots of Atriplex plants play important function in heavy metals phytostabilization mechanism by the two halophyte plants.

Although the use of saltbush plants in metal phytoremediation is well known, there is little information about the impact of sugarcane vinasse (SCV) and EDTA on metal uptake. Heavily cadmium-polluted soil (38 mg kg−1 Cd) was used in pot and incubation experiments to investigate the Cd phytoextraction potential of wavy saltbush (Atriplex undulata) and quail saltbush (Atriplex lentiformis). EDTA at rates of 3, 6, and 10 mM kg−1 soil and SCV at rates of 7, 15, and 30 mL kg−1 soil were added to the polluted soil. The application of EDTA significantly (P = 0.002) reduced the growth of saltbush plants; on the other hand, SCV improved the growth. Both EDTA and SCV increased the availability and root-to-shoot transfer of Cd. The plants of A. lentiformis grown on the soil amended with the highest rate of SCV were able to remove 20.4 % of the total soil Cd during a period of 9 months. Based on the obtained results, it may be concluded that A. lentiformis and sugarcane vinasse could be more effective in the phytoextraction of Cd from the polluted soils.

In Musa (Musaceae family) as for other angiosperms, somatic embryo formation from somatic cells exemplify a distinctive phenomenon of plant cell developmental plasticity. Somatic embryogenesis (SE) through embryogenic cell suspension (ECS) cultures is an important milestone method for accelerating bananas mass-propagation due to its high regeneration potential, and serves as powerful cellular tool for its non-conventional improvement. Protocols for SE has been standardized for several genotypes of wild Musa species (having AA and/or BB genomes), dessert (AA, AB and AAA), cooking (ABB) and plantain (AAB) bananas using different types of explants, however, in some cases the protocols are limited by the low embryo germination and plant conversion rates. Therefore, efforts are needed to understand the physiological, biochemical and genetic processes underpinning banana embryo development (zygotic and somatic), in other to inaugurate robust SE protocols with high rates of embryo germination and plant conversion. Here we present an overview of the general progress in banana plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis.

Saltbush shrubs are halophytic plants found in many regions, they are promising as forage sources, but their chemical composition varies during the seasons. This study was conducted in Assiut, Egypt to investigate the nutritive value and chemical composition of quail saltbush (Atriplex lentiformis) and old man saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) as affected by the seasonal variations. Composite samples of leaves and stems of each species were collected in the winter, spring, summer and autumn of 2013. The chemical composition of the tested plants varied considerably during the year. Leaves had relatively low concentrations of phosphorus (P) and high concentrations of sodium (Na), potassium (K), and chloride (Cl) during the summer; however calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) contents remained unaffected throughout the seasons. The crude protein in the leaves of A. nummularia and A. lentiformis was about 22 and 18%, while in the stems it was about 6.7 and 4.6% respectively. The tested saltbush plants are good as protein source during the winter. In that season of the year, the crude protein (CP) of the leaves of A. lentiformis and A. nummularia was increased by 32 and 26% respectively compared to the summer. The ash content of saltbush plants was increased by about 25% in the summer compared to the other seasons, while the moisture content remained unaffected during the winter, spring and autumn and then declined by about 17% during the summer, this indicates that saltbush plants may be minimize their succulence moisture content during the summer to achieve osmotic adjustment.

Saltbush shrubs are halophytic plants found in many regions, they are promising as forage sources, but their chemical composition varies during the seasons. This study was conducted in Assiut, Egypt to investigate the nutritive value and chemical composition of quail saltbush (Atriplex lentiformis) and old man saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) as affected by the seasonal variations. Composite samples of leaves and stems of each species were collected in the winter, spring, summer and autumn of 2013. The chemical composition of the tested plants varied considerably during the year. Leaves had relatively low concentrations of phosphorus (P) and high concentrations of sodium (Na), potassium (K), and chloride (Cl) during the summer; however calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) contents remained unaffected throughout the seasons. The crude protein in the leaves of A. nummularia and A. lentiformis was about 22 and 18%, while in the stems it was about 6.7 and 4.6% respectively. The tested saltbush plants are good as protein source during the winter. In that season of the year, the crude protein (CP) of the leaves of A. lentiformis and A. nummularia was increased by 32 and 26% respectively compared to the summer. The ash content of saltbush plants was increased by about 25% in the summer compared to the other seasons, while the moisture content remained unaffected during the winter, spring and autumn and then declined by about 17% during the summer, this indicates that saltbush plants may be minimize their succulence moisture content during the summer to achieve osmotic adjustment.

Environmental pollution and costs of mineral fertilization impelled scientists and farmers to ask for friendly environmental fertilizers. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different combinations of rabbit manure, rock phosphate, feldspar, and bio-fertilizers [Microbine (Bio-N), Phosphorin (Bio-P) and Potassiumag (Bio-K)] on the growth, yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants. The mixture of rabbit manure, rock phosphate, and feldspar + Bio-N-P-K increased the tomato fruit yield by 30% compared to the inorganic fertilization. The application of rabbit manure, rock phosphate, and feldspar with the bio-fertilizer (Bio-N-P-K) inoculation increased the concentration of N, P, and K in the leaves of tomato by 34, 35, and 50% compared to the same treatment without the bio-fertilizers. The current study clearly depicted that the natural minerals (rock phosphate and feldspar) and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium bio-fertilization may lead to higher yields and better fruit quality than conventional fertilization.

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