Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Role of cotton sticks biochar in immobilization of nickel under induced toxicity condition and growth indices of Trigonella corniculata L.

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Among various heavy metals, nickel (Ni) is a potential pollutant that accumulates in broad-leaf vegetables and is reported to be carcinogenic. Biochar (BC) is a nutrient-rich and effective organic amendment for immobilization of Ni in soil. Fenugreek (Trigonella corniculata L.), a broad-leaf vegetable, is commonly cultivated due to its all-inclusive composition of nutrients such as calcium and iron and β-carotene and vitamins. Therefore, a field-pot study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of cotton-sticks-waste biochar (BC) for soil immobilization of Ni in fenugreek crop cultivated between early-October to end-November 2015. Fenugreek was grown in a sandy-loam soil experimentally contaminated with various Ni levels (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg Ni kg−1 soil) under three BC levels (0, 3, and 5%; w/w). Overall, results showed increasing plant lipid peroxidation (assessed via malondialdehyde) and ascorbic-acid concentration with increasing Ni toxicity level without BC application (p ≤ 0.05). Application of 3% BC increased the chlorophyll a (20.0%), chlorophyll b (49.1%), total chlorophyll (27.6%), carotenoids (21.6%), anthocyanin (27.2%), photosynthetic rate (112%), transpiration rate (45.0%), and sub-stomatal CO2 concentration (19.9%) in fenugreek as compared to control (0% BC) under 50 mg Ni kg−1 soil. Higher BC application rate (5%) was more effective in increasing the chlorophyll a (33.6%), chlorophyll b (81.1%), total chlorophyll (43.9%), carotenoids (71.7%), anthocyanin (77.8%), photosynthetic rate (127%), transpiration rate (42.2%), and sub-stomatal CO2 concentration (23.5) over control under 100 mg Ni kg−1 soil. We suggest that the consistent increases in dry mass, carbon flux rate and, protein, amino acids, and sugar contents of fenugreek (cultivated in a soil toxified with Ni and amended with 5% BC) seems to be caused by the reduction in the mobility of Ni in the presence of BC in a sandy-loam soil.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abid M, Danish S, Zafar-Ul-Hye M, Shaaban M, Iqbal MM, Rehim A, Qayyum MF, Naqqash MN (2017) Biochar increased photosynthetic and accessory pigments in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants by reducing cadmium concentration under various irrigation waters. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 24(27):22111–22118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad I, Bibi F, Ullah H, Munir TM (2018) Mango fruit yield and critical quality parameters respond to foliar and soil applications of zinc and boron. Plants 7(4):97

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alloway BJ (2012) Heavy metals in soils: trace metals and metalloids in soils and their bioavailability. Springer Science & Business Media, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Wabel MI, Usman ARA, El-Naggar AH, Aly AA, Ibrahim HM, Elmaghraby S, Al-Omran A (2015) Conocarpus biochar as a soil amendment for reducing heavy metal availability and uptake by maize plants. Saudi J Biol Sci 22(4):503–511

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arnon DI (1949) Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts: polyphenoloxidases in Beta vulgaris. Plant Physiol 24:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Asaduzzaman K, Khandaker MU, Baharudin NB, Amin YBM, Farook MS, Bradley D, Mahmoud O (2017) Heavy metals in human teeth dentine: a bio-indicator of metals exposure and environmental pollution. Chemosphere 176:221–230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Basu A, Basu SK, Kumar A, Sharma M, Chalghoumi R, Hedi A, Solorio-Sánchez F, Balogun MO, Hafez EE (2014) Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.), a potential new crop for latin america. Am J Soc Iss Hum 4(3):147–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Beesley L, Marmiroli M (2011) The immobilisation and retention of soluble arsenic, cadmium and zinc by biochar. Environ Pollut 159(2):474–480

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for quantification of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 72:248–284

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown S, Christensen B, Lombi E, Mclaughlin M, Mcgrath S, Colpaert J, Vangronsveld J (2005) An inter-laboratory study to test the ability of amendments to reduce the availability of Cd, Pb, and Zn in situ. Environ Pollut 138(1):34–45

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burd GI, Dixon DG, Glick BR (1998) A plant growth-promoting bacterium that decreases nickel toxicity in seedlings. Appl Environ Microbiol 64(10):3663–3668

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carmak I, Horst W (1991) Effects of aluminum on lipidperoxidation, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase activities in root tips of soya bean (Glycine max). Plant Physiol 83(3):463–468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman HD, Pratt PF (1961) Methods of analysis for soils, plant and waters. University of California, Berkely, California, USA, pp 1–265

  • Clemens S (2006) Toxic metal accumulation, responses to exposure and mechanisms of tolerance in plants. Biochimie 88(11):1707–1719

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dahlawi S, Naeem A, Iqbal M, Farooq MA, Bibi S, Rengel Z (2018) Opportunities and challenges in the use of mineral nutrition for minimizing arsenic toxicity and accumulation in rice: a critical review. Chemosphere 194:171–188

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Danish S, Zafar-ul-Hye M (2019) Co-application of ACC-deaminase producing pgpr and timber-waste biochar improves pigments formation, growth and yield of wheat under drought stress. Sci Rep 9:5999

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Danish S, Tahir FA, Rasheed MK, Ahmad N, Ali MA, Kiran S, Younis U, Irshad I, Butt B (2019) Comparative effect of foliar application of Fe and banana peel biochar addition in spinach for alleviation of chromium (IV) toxicity. Open Agric 4:381–390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Filippis L, Pallaghy C (1976) The effect of sub-lethal concentrations of mercury and zinc on chlorella: Iii. Development and possible mechanisms of resistance to metals. Z Pflanzenphysiol 79(4):323–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drążkiewicz M, Baszyński T (2005) Growth parameters and photosynthetic pigments in leaf segments of Zea mays exposed to cadmium, as related to protection mechanisms. J Plant Physiol 162(9):1013–1021

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez O, Béthencourt L, Quero A, Sangwan RS, Clément C (2010) Trehalose and plant stress responses: friend or foe? Trends Plant Sci 15(7):409–417

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton PB, Van-Slyke DD (1943) The gasometric determination of free amino acids in blood filtrates by the ninhydrin-carbon dioxide method. J Biol Chem 150:231–250

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hao F, Wang X, Chen J (2006) Involvement of plasma-membrane nadph oxidase in nickel-induced oxidative stress in roots of wheat seedlings. Plant Sci 170(1):151–158

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hashmi S, Younis U, Danish S, Munir TM (2019) Pongamia pinnata l. leaves biochar increased growth and pigments syntheses in Pisum sativum L. exposed to nutritional stress. Agriculture 9(7):153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hassan W, David J (2014) Effect of lead pollution on soil microbiological index under spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) cultivation. J Soils Sediments 14(1):44–59

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt E (1953) Metal interrelationships in plant nutrition: effects of some metal toxicities on sugar beet, tomato, oat, potato, and marrowstem kale grown in sand culture. J Exp Bot 4(1):59–64

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang M, Zhu Y, Li Z, Huang B, Luo N, Liu C, Zeng G (2016) Compost as a soil amendment to remediate heavy metal-contaminated agricultural soil: mechanisms, efficacy, problems, and strategies. Water Air Soil Pollut 227(10):359

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones JB, Wolf HB, Mills HA (1991) Plant analysis handbook: a practical sampling, preparation, analysis, and interpretation guide. Micro-Macro Publishing Inc, Athens

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller T, Schwager H (1977) Air pollution and ascorbic acid. Eur J Forest Pathol 7:338–350

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khalil S, Kakar MK (2011) Agricultural use of untreated urban wastewater in Pakistan. Asian J Agric Rural Dev 1(1):21–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li H, Dong X, Da Silva EB, De Oliveira LM, Chen Y, Ma LQ (2017) Mechanisms of metal sorption by biochars: biochar characteristics and modifications. Chemosphere 178:466–478

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • López-Millán A-F, Sagardoy R, Solanas M, Abadía A, Abadía J (2009) Cadmium toxicity in tomato (lycopersicon esculentum) plants grown in hydroponics. Environ Exp Bot 65(2–3):376–385

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maksimovic I, Kastori R, Putnik-Delic M, Borišev M (2014) Effect of yttrium on photosynthesis and water relations in young maize plants. J Rare Earths 32(4):372–378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malik A (2004) Metal bioremediation through growing cells. Environ Int 30(2):261–278

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matile P, Schellenberg M, Vicentini F (1997) Localization of chlorophyllase in the chloroplast envelope. Planta 201(1):96–99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra S, Bharagava RN, More N, Yadav A, Zainith S, Mani S, Chowdhary P (2019) Heavy metal contamination: an alarming threat to environment and human health. In: Sobti RC, Arora NK, Kothari R (eds) Environmental biotechnology: for sustainable future. Springer, Singapore, pp 103–125

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Munir TM, Khadka B, Xu B, Strack M (2017a) Partitioning forest floor respiration into source based emissions in a boreal forested bog: responses to experimental drought. Forests 8(3):75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Munir TM, Khadka B, Xu B, Strack M (2017b) Mineral nitrogen and phosphorus pools affected by water tablelowering and warming in a boreal forested peatland. Ecohydrology 10:e1893

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murtaza G, Ghafoor A, Qadir M, Rashid M (2003) Accumulation and bioavailability of cd, co and mn in soils and vegetables irrigated with city effluent. Pak J Agric Sci 40(1–2):18–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Nadeem F, Ahmad R, Rehmani MIA, Ali A, Ahmad M, Iqbal J (2013) Qualitative and chemical analysis of rice kernel to time of application of phosphorus in combination with zinc under anaerobic conditions. Asian J Agric Biol 1:67–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagajyoti PC, Lee KD, Sreekanth T (2010) Heavy metals, occurrence and toxicity for plants: a review. Environ Chem Lett 8(3):199–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ngah WW, Hanafiah M (2008) Removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater by chemically modified plant wastes as adsorbents: a review. Bioresour Technol 99(10):3935–3948

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noor NM, Shariff A, Abdullah N (2012) Slow pyrolysis of cassava wastes for biochar production and characterization. Iran J Energy Environ 3:60–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Parida B, Chhibba I, Nayyar V (2003) Influence of nickel-contaminated soils on fenugreek (Trigonella corniculata L.) growth and mineral composition. Sci Hortic 98(2):113–119

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paz-Ferreiro J, Lu H, Fu S, Méndez A, Gascó G (2014) Use of phytoremediation and biochar to remediate heavy metal polluted soils: a review. Solid Earth 5(1):65–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piccini D, Malavolta E (1992) Effect of Nickel on Two Common Bean Cultivars. J Plant Nutr 15(11):2343–2350

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahmati-Yamchi M, Ghareghomi S, Haddadchi G, Milani M, Aghazadeh M, Daroushnejad H (2014) Fenugreek extract diosgenin and pure diosgenin inhibit the htert gene expression in a549 lung cancer cell line. Mol Biol Rep 41(9):6247–6252

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raju J, Patlolla JM, Swamy MV, Rao CV (2004) Diosgenin, a steroid saponin of trigonella foenum graecum (fenugreek), inhibits azoxymethane-induced aberrant crypt foci formation in f344 rats and induces apoptosis in ht-29 human colon cancer cells. Cancer Epidemiol Biomark Prev 13(8):1392–1398

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Randhir R, Lin Y-T, Shetty K, Lin Y-T (2004) Phenolics, their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity in dark germinated fenugreek sprouts in response to peptide and phytochemical elicitors. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 13(3):295–307

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rees F, Simonnot M-O, Morel J-L (2014) Short-term effects of biochar on soil heavy metal mobility are controlled by intra-particle diffusion and soil ph increase. Eur J Soil Sci 65(1):149–161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rehman MZ-U, Rizwan M, Ali S, Fatima N, Yousaf B, Naeem A, Sabir M, Ahmad HR, Ok YS (2016) Contrasting effects of biochar, compost and farm manure on alleviation of nickel toxicity in maize (Zea mays L.) in relation to plant growth, photosynthesis and metal uptake. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 133:218–225

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reinbothe C, Springer A, Samol I, Reinbothe S (2009) Plant oxylipins: role of jasmonic acid during programmed cell death, defence and leaf senescence. FEBS J 276(17):4666–4681

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shahzad B, Tanveer M, Rehman A, Cheema SA, Fahad S, Rehman S, Sharma A (2018) Nickel; whether toxic or essential for plants and environment-a review. Plant Physiol Biochem 132:641–651

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shen Z, Som AM, Wang F, Jin F, Mcmillan O, Al-Tabbaa A (2016) Long-term impact of biochar on the immobilisation of nickel (ii) and zinc (ii) and the revegetation of a contaminated site. Sci Total Environ 542:771–776

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siddiqui S, Meghvansi MK, Wani MA, Jabee F (2009) Evaluating cadmium toxicity in the root meristem of Pisum sativum L. Acta Physiol Plant 31(3):531–536

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh HP, Kaur S, Mittal S, Batish DR, Kohli RK (2009) Essential oil of artemisia scoparia inhibits plant growth by generating reactive oxygen species and causing oxidative damage. J Chem Ecol 35(2):154–162

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh R, Tripathi R, Dwivedi S, Kumar A, Trivedi P, Chakrabarty D (2010) Lead bioaccumulation potential of an aquatic macrophyte najas indica are related to antioxidant system. Bioresour Technol 101(9):3025–3032

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sohi SP, Krull E, Lopez-Capel E, Bol R (2010) A review of biochar and its use and function in soil. In: Sparks DL (ed) Advances in agronomy. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 47–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Szabados L, Savoure A (2010) Proline: a multifunctional amino acid. Trends Plant Sci 15(2):89–97

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Uchimiya M, Limak IM, Klasson T, Chang S, Wartelle LH, Rodgers JE (2010) Immobilization of heavy metal ions (cuii, cdii, niii, and pbii) by broiler litter-derived biochars in water and soil. J Agric Food Chem 58(9):5538–5544

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Von Wettstein D, Gough S, Kannangara CG (1995) Chlorophyll biosynthesis. Plant Cell 7(7):1039–1057

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wani SA, Kumar P (2018) Fenugreek: a review on its nutraceutical properties and utilization in various food products. J Saudi Soc Agric Sci 17(2):97–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Yemm EW, Willis AJ (1954) The estimation of carbohydrates in plant extracts by anthrone. Biochem J 57:508–514

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Younis U, Athar M, Malik S, Raza Shah M, Mahmood S (2015) Biochar impact on physiological and biochemical attributes of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) in nickel contaminated soil. Glob J Environ Sci Manag 1(3):245–254

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yusuf M, Fariduddin Q, Hayat S, Ahmad A (2011) Nickel: an overview of uptake, essentiality and toxicity in plants. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 86(1):1–17

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zafar-ul-Hye M, Danish S, Abbas M, Ahmad M, Munir TM (2019) ACC deaminase producing PGPR bacillus amyloliquefaciens and agrobacterium fabrum along with biochar improve wheat productivity under drought stress. Agronomy 9(7):343

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

    Uzma Younis & Saeed Ahmad Malik

  2. Depertment of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan

    Subhan Danish & Niaz Ahmed

  3. Soil and Water Testing Laboratory, PakArab Fertilizer Limited Plant Site, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan

    Subhan Danish

  4. Soil and Water Testing Laboratory for Research, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan

    Muhammad Khalid Rasheed

  5. Department of Geography, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada

    Tariq Muhammad Munir

Authors
  1. Uzma Younis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Subhan Danish
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Saeed Ahmad Malik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Niaz Ahmed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Tariq Muhammad Munir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Muhammad Khalid Rasheed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Subhan Danish.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Gangrong Shi

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Younis, U., Danish, S., Malik, S.A. et al. Role of cotton sticks biochar in immobilization of nickel under induced toxicity condition and growth indices of Trigonella corniculata L.. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 1752–1761 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06466-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06466-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation