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Potassium-induced inhibition of nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism as a strategy of controlling Microcystis blooms

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Abstract

To explore potassium toxicity in Microcystis sp., growth, chlorophyll a, carotenoid and phycocyanin content, uptake of nitrate, phosphate and ammonium and activities of the assimilatory enzymes nitrate reductase, alkaline phosphatase and glutamine synthetase (GS) were studied. Nitrate, phosphate, ammonium uptakes and chlorophyll a and phycocyanin contents decreased with increase in the concentration of potassium, but carotenoid content registered an increase at increasing potassium concentration. Alkaline phosphatase and GS activities followed the trend of inhibition of their respective nutrients, whereas nitrate and nitrate reductase showed negative correlation (p < 0.01). Potassium was found to inhibit the activities of all the assimilatory enzymes in a non-competitive manner. Inhibitions of these parameters support the view that potassium has the potential to regulate Microcystis blooms in an eco-friendly manner.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a grant from the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, to L.C. Rai. We are thankful to the Head, Department of Botany Banaras Hindu University for facilities.

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  1. Laboratory of Algal Biology, Center of advanced study in Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    Bideh Shukla & Lal Chand Rai

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  1. Bideh Shukla
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  2. Lal Chand Rai
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Correspondence to Lal Chand Rai.

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Shukla, B., Rai, L.C. Potassium-induced inhibition of nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism as a strategy of controlling Microcystis blooms. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 23, 317–322 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-006-9226-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-006-9226-1

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