Variety-dependent Physiologic and Biochemical Effects of Copper Nano Particles on Rosie and Green Bok Choy (Brassica rapa) Phenotypes
Abstract
The effects of Cu-based nanoparticles (NPs) in bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) are unknown. In this study, Rosie and Green, two varieties of bok choy, with different anthocyanin content, were cultivated for 70 days in soil amended with copper oxide nanoparticles (nano CuO), bulk copper oxide (bulk CuO) and copper chloride (CuCl2) at 75, 150, 300 and 600 mg Cu/kg soil. Cu and essential elements in tissues, and relative chlorophyll content, were determined. In both varieties, nano CuO treatments caused significantly more Cu uptake in roots and shoots, compared with bulk CuO and ion CuCl2 (p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, under the same concentration treatments, Cu uptake in Rosie was higher than in Green. At all concentration the copper compounds reduced the biomass of both Rosie and Green bok choy. At 150 mg/kg, nano CuO reduced K by 45% in Rosie leaves, while at 600 mg/kg reduced it by 41% in Green root, with respect to each control (p ≤ 0.05). Fe accumulation in roots was significantly reduced in the range of 18-50% in both Rosie and Green plants, compared with control (p ≤ 0.05). Similarly, root P was also significantly decreased up to 70% with Cu-based compounds (p ≤ 0.05), with respect to control. Total sugar, starch and protein content were not significantly altered by any of the treatments, except for bulk CuO at 150, 300, and 600 mg/kg, which increased total sugar in Rosie leaves by 56.87%, 51.89% and 49.46%, respectively, compared with control ( p ≤ 0.05). Rosie bok choy, with significantly higher anthocyanin content, accumulated more Cu in both root and leaf and the growth of plants was inhibited more than Green bok choy significantly (p ≤ 0.05). Results showed that nano CuO was more toxic to bok choy plants than bulk CuO, especially at higher concentrations (300 and 600 mg/kg).
Subject Area
Chemistry
Recommended Citation
Deng, Chaoyi, "Variety-dependent Physiologic and Biochemical Effects of Copper Nano Particles on Rosie and Green Bok Choy (Brassica rapa) Phenotypes" (2018). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI10932029.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI10932029