EFFECTS OF ALGINATE ENCAPSULATED DIVALENT IONS (Zn2+, Cu2+ AND Ca2+) ON MUSTARD (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH

Identifier:  imarina:9552089

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9552089

Authors:  Vano, Belen Reig; Kowalska, Beata; Szczech, Magdalena; Maciorowski, Robert; Olkiewicz, Magdalena; Giamberini, Marta; Tylkowski, Bartosz

Abstract:
Encapsulation of agrochemicals allows growers to precisely control the conditions under which the active ingredient is released. Since zinc, copper, and calcium ions are essential micronutrients in crop production, the goal of our work was to incorporate them into alginate-based capsules, and to investigate the impact of their release on seed germination and seedling growth. Oriental mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) was selected as a model crop. Among the tested ions, Cu2+ exhibited the greatest increase, followed by Zn2+, whereas Ca2+ showed the smallest increase, and its concentration declined over time when calcium-based capsules were applied. Performed studies demonstrate that released cations from the capsules into soil solution significantly affected seeds germination and biomass of mustard sprouts in laboratory tests. The release of Cu2+ and Zn2+ negatively influenced radicle development, with Cu2+ almost completely suppressing radicle elongation, and Zn2+ exhibiting a progressive inhibitory effect with increasing incubation time. Although, Ca2+ stimulated radicle elongation, it did not significantly affect total sprout and cotyledon biomass.