Article
Plant Sciences
Veronika Lancikova, Jana Kacirova, Andrea Hricova
Summary: Amaranth is popular due to its nutritious grains and tolerance of environmental stress. This study identified and described the C5-MTase and DMTase genes in Amaranthus cruentus, showing their involvement in heavy metal stress responses through DNA methylation and demethylation.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Muhammad Sabir, Edita Baltrenaite-Gediene, Allah Ditta, Hussain Ullah, Aatika Kanwal, Sajid Ullah, Turki Kh Faraj
Summary: This study explored the potential of native plants for phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soil and assessed associated health risks. The results showed that certain plant species had high potential for hyperaccumulation of certain metals, while the soil was highly contaminated. However, the health risks posed by the contamination were within acceptable limits.
Article
Agronomy
Yan Zha, Lin Zhao, Tianxin Niu, Erkui Yue, Xianbo Wang, Jiang Shi
Summary: Through experimental research on 11 maize varieties, it was found that the growth of variety TZ23 was minimally impacted by heavy metals and metalloids. Variety HNY21 had the lowest accumulation capacity for all four heavy metals, while variety QJN3 posed a significant health risk due to chronic toxicity.
Article
Biology
Chee Kong Yap, Aziran Yaacob, Wen Siang Tan, Khalid Awadh Al-Mutairi, Wan Hee Cheng, Koe Wei Wong, Franklin Berandah Edward, Mohamad Saupi Ismail, Chen-Feng You, Weiyun Chew, Rosimah Nulit, Mohd Hafiz Ibrahim, Bintal Amin, Moslem Sharifinia
Summary: The concentrations of four potentially toxic metals in green amaranth collected from 11 sampling sites in Peninsular Malaysia were measured in this study. The metal levels were highest in the root parts, followed by stems and leafy parts. The positive relationships between the metals and their habitat topsoils suggested that green amaranth could be used as a biomonitoring agent and a phytoremediation agent.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Maria Jose Rodriguez Gomez, Isaac Maestro-Gaitan, Patricia Calvo Magro, Veronica Cruz Sobrado, Maria Reguera Blazquez, Javier Matias Prieto
Summary: Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to classify and authenticate seeds from different varieties of quinoa and amaranth. Univariate analysis showed differences between species for certain components. PCA analysis separated the samples into two groups, with quinoa seeds having higher contents of certain acids, proteins, sugars, and other components. CDA models achieved 100% probability when classifying the samples as either quinoa or amaranth, indicating good sensitivity.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Kim Margarette C. Nogoy, Jia Yu, Young Gyu Song, Shida Li, Jong-Wook Chung, Seong Ho Choi
Summary: Amaranth plants, with their high potential feed value for ruminants, exhibit good nutrient composition and favorable fermentation characteristics, making them suitable as a feed source for cattle. The study found that amaranth forages outperformed locally produced forages in terms of nutritional value, indicating good feed quality for cattle.
Article
Water Resources
Daniel Chukwuemeka Ozoko, Ifeoma Linda Onyekwelu, Okechukwu Pius Aghamelu
Summary: This study assessed the concentrations of heavy metals and associated health risks in domestic water sources around a dumpsite in Enugu, Nigeria. The results showed that the water sources were moderately to highly polluted and posed both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic threats to human health, especially for children. The heavy metals, such as manganese, arsenic, and lead, were found to exceed recommended limits for drinking water.
APPLIED WATER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Miroslaw Wyszkowski, Natalia Kordala
Summary: Petroleum substances, as one of the most common xenobiotics, have a strong impact on soil, water, and other components of the environment. This pot experiment aimed to investigate the effect of different soil material amendments on the heavy metal content in the aerial parts of maize grown on petrol-polluted soil. The results showed that the content of heavy metals, except copper, was positively correlated with the increasing doses of petrol, while the biomass yield was negatively correlated. The use of compost, bentonite, and calcium oxide significantly influenced the heavy metal content and biomass yield, especially for chromium, copper, and cobalt accumulation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joseph Omeiza Alao, Abubakar Fahad, Hazem Ghassan Abdo, Daniel A. Ayejoto, Hussin Almohamad, Muhammad Sani Ahmad, Mohammed Shettima Nur, Theophilus Toro Danjuma, Mumeen Adebayo Yusuf, Olaleye Timilehin Francis, Alao Ovaioza Joy
Summary: The low level of environmental discipline and waste management in Nigeria poses a significant risk to groundwater and environmental health. This study assesses the impacts of dumpsites on soil, surface and groundwater, and the associated public health risk. The findings reveal that the dumpsites significantly affect the soil layer and groundwater, causing land cave-ins, slope failures, and high levels of contaminants in water sources. This study will help policymakers make informed decisions and implement strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of dumpsites.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tlou Grace Manyelo, Nthabiseng Amenda Sebola, Zahra Mohammed Hassan, Jones Wilfred Ng'ambi, William James Weeks, Monnye Mabelebele
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impact of early versus normal grain harvesting on the chemical composition and secondary metabolites of Amaranthus cruentus species grown in South Africa. The results showed that mature harvested grain had higher mineral and phytochemical content, which could benefit human and livestock immunity and gut function.
Article
Plant Sciences
Shawn Thatcher, Mark Jung, Gayathri Panangipalli, Kevin Fengler, Abhijit Sanyal, Bailin Li, Victor Llaca, Jeffrey Habben
Summary: Plant pathogens cause crop loss worldwide, and new resistance genes can be quickly overcome. Understanding resistance gene diversity in major crops like maize is crucial for developing disease-resistant varieties. By analyzing the nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs) in maize and its wild relative Zea luxurians, we found a large diversity of atypical integrated domains in both species, with Z. luxurians potentially being a rich source of novel resistance genes. NLRs also showed high sequence diversity and presence-absence variation among maize populations, with mobile NLRs and putative interchromosomal translocations identified.
MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ismael Cisneros-Hernandez, Erandi Vargas-Ortiz, Estefany S. Sanchez-Martinez, Norma Martinez-Gallardo, Daniela Soto Gonzalez, John Paul Delano-Frier
Summary: Research shows that defoliation tolerance in Amaranthus cruentus peaks at the panicle emergence phase and declines to minimal levels at flowering. This is associated with changes in non-structural carbohydrates, RFOs, gene expression, and enzyme activity related to sugar starvation response.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Takaki Yamauchi, Mikio Nakazono
Summary: Aerenchyma formation is crucial for oxygen diffusion in rice roots under low-oxygen conditions. Both ethylene and auxin hormones are involved in regulating aerenchyma formation in rice roots. The study found that ethylene-dependent aerenchyma formation is faster and rice roots have more aerenchyma, enabling efficient oxygen diffusion under low-oxygen conditions. Additionally, in rice, the expression levels of ethylene biosynthesis and responsive genes rapidly increase after root-cell emergence, contributing to the rapid induction of ethylene-dependent aerenchyma formation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Adrien Luyckx, Stanley Lutts, Muriel Quinet
Summary: Amaranths are multi-use crop species known for their tolerance to salinity stress. Among the eight tested cultivars, Don Leon and K91 showed tolerance to moderate salt stress (50 mM NaCl) and sodium accumulation affected various physiological parameters differently depending on the cultivar, indicating different relative importance of ionic and osmotic phases of salt stress among cultivars.
Article
Agronomy
Josemar Foresti, Renata R. Pereira, Paulo A. Santana, Taline Nc Neves, Paulo R. Silva, Jaedino Rosseto, Ademar Novais Istchuk, Tamylin K. Ishizuka, Wagner Harter, Matheus H. Schwertner, Marcelo C. Picanco
Summary: This study investigates the within-field spatial distribution and factors associated with the abundance of Dalbulus maidis, the primary pest in cornfields. The results show that infestations of D. maidis are higher at the boundaries of the central pivot, indicating an edge-biased distribution. The ranges vary and the spatial dependency is strong to moderate. Air temperature has a positive effect on the population of D. maidis, while rainfall has a negative effect.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Florence B. Awino, William Maher, A. Jasmyn J. Lynch, Patricia B. Asanga Fai, Ochan Otim
Summary: This study investigated the contamination of crops grown on the Mbale dumpsite in Uganda by 11 metals and 2 non-metals. Results showed that nine metals exceeded WHO/FAO food safety recommendations, with leaves containing higher metal concentrations than other consumable parts. Short-term crops had higher concentrations of certain metals compared to long-term crops, and the growth period influenced metal bioaccumulation in different crop types. Public awareness about health risks associated with consuming crops grown on dumpsites should be increased to reduce toxic metal exposure.
INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Florence Barbara Awino, Sabine E. Apitz
Summary: Growing populations and consumption drive the challenges of solid waste management (SWM) globally. The updated conceptual waste framework highlights the key steps, important factors, and stakeholders for effective SWM. It is found that countries need to improve waste hierarchy and circular economy compliance, enhance stakeholder partnership, awareness, and participation, and strengthen management practices to address waste and environmental management challenges across nations.
INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)