Journal Article

Enhancing sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) resilience grown in cadmium-contaminated saline soil: a synergistic approach using Moringa leaf extract and effective microorganisms application

Abd El-Mageed, Shimaa A., Gyushi, Mohammad A. H., Abdelkhalik, Abdelsattar, Hemida, Khaulood A., Abdou, Nasr M., Shaaban, Ahmed, Abd El-Mageed, Taia A.

2024

Overview

Raising soil contamination with cadmium (Cd 2+ ) and salinization necessitates the development of green approaches using bio-elicitors to ensure sustainable crop production and mitigate the detrimental health impacts. Two field trials were carried out to study the individual and combined effects of foliage spraying of Moringa leaf extract (MLE) and soil application of effective microorganisms (EMs) on the physio-biochemical, osmolytes, antioxidants, and performance of sweet potato grown in Cd 2+ -contaminated salty soil (Cd 2+  = 17.42 mg kg −1 soil and soil salinity ECe = 7.42 dS m −1 ). Application of MLE, EMs, or MLE plus EMs significantly reduced the accumulation of Cd 2+ in roots by 55.6%, 50.0%, or 68.1% and in leaves by 31.4%, 27.6%, or 38.0%, respectively, compared to the control. Co-application of MLE and EMs reduced Na + concentration while substantially raising N, P, K + , and Ca 2+ acquisition in the leaves. MLE and EMs-treated plants exhibited higher concentrations of total soluble sugar by 69.6%, free proline by 47.7%, total free amino acids by 29.0%, and protein by 125.7% compared to the control. The enzymatic (SOD, APX, GR, and CAT) and non-enzymatic (phenolic acids, GSH, and AsA) antioxidants increased in plants treated with MLE and/or EMs application. Applying MLE and/or EMs increased the leaf photosynthetic pigment contents, membrane stability, relative water content, water productivity, growth traits, and tuber yield of Cd 2+ and salt-stressed sweet potato. Consequently, the integrative application of MLE and EMs achieved the best results exceeding the single treatments recommended in future application to sweet potato in saline soil contaminated with Cd 2+ .

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Amino acids / Antioxidants / Aquatic Pollution / Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution / Cadmium / calcium / Calcium ions / Contamination / Crop production / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecotoxicology / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Flowers & plants / Foliage / Ipomoea batatas / leaf extracts / Leaves / Microorganisms / Moisture content / Moringa / Phenolic acids / Phenols / photosynthesis / Photosynthetic pigments / Plant extracts / Plant Extracts - pharmacology / Plant Leaves / Potatoes / proline / Research Article / Saline soils / Salinity / Salinization / salt stress / Soil - chemistry / Soil contamination / Soil microorganisms / Soil Pollutants / Soil pollution / Soil salinity / soil treatment / Spraying / sugars / Sustainable agriculture / Sustainable production / Sweet potatoes / Vegetables / Waste Water Technology / Water content / Water Management / Water Pollution Control