Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Effects of Rare Earth Elements on Growth and Chlorophyll of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Seedling
Rare earth elements (REEs) of low concentration are usually beneficial to plant growth, while they are toxic at high concentrations. The effects of treatment with lanthanum (La) (10 and 20 μM), cerium (Ce) (10 and 20 μM), and terbium (Tb) (10 and 20 μM) on seedling growth of alfalfa (Medicago sativa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.731838/full |
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| author | Kexiao Song Jinzhu Gao Shuo Li Yunfu Sun Haoyang Sun Baiyu An Tianming Hu Xueqing He |
| author_facet | Kexiao Song Jinzhu Gao Shuo Li Yunfu Sun Haoyang Sun Baiyu An Tianming Hu Xueqing He |
| author_sort | Kexiao Song |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rare earth elements (REEs) of low concentration are usually beneficial to plant growth, while they are toxic at high concentrations. The effects of treatment with lanthanum (La) (10 and 20 μM), cerium (Ce) (10 and 20 μM), and terbium (Tb) (10 and 20 μM) on seedling growth of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), which is one of the most important perennial leguminous forages in the world, were studied. The results showed that all three REE treatments quickened the germination of seeds. The length of shoot under La (20 μM) treatment was significantly shortened (P < 0.05). In addition, treatment with La, Ce, and Tb had a “hormesis effect” on root length. There was a significant decrease in chlorophyll content on treatment with the three REEs, and the degree of decline was in the order of La < Ce < Tb, under the same concentration. In vitro experiments and quantum chemical calculations were further performed to explain why the treatments with REEs reduced the chlorophyll content. In vitro experiments showed that La, Ce, and Tb treatments reduced the absorbance of chlorophyll, and the decrease followed in the order of La > Ce > Tb. Quantum chemical calculations predicted that the decrease in absorption intensity was caused by the reactions between La, Ce, Tb, and chlorophyll, which formed lanthanides-chlorophyll; and there were five types of stable lanthanides-chlorophyll. In conclusion, the decrease in chlorophyll content on treatment with REEs was caused by the change in chlorophyll structure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:02:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-da9b2670f25e48759442e3ced06f64bd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:02:55Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-da9b2670f25e48759442e3ced06f64bd2022-12-21T19:54:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2021-10-011210.3389/fpls.2021.731838731838Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Effects of Rare Earth Elements on Growth and Chlorophyll of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) SeedlingKexiao SongJinzhu GaoShuo LiYunfu SunHaoyang SunBaiyu AnTianming HuXueqing HeRare earth elements (REEs) of low concentration are usually beneficial to plant growth, while they are toxic at high concentrations. The effects of treatment with lanthanum (La) (10 and 20 μM), cerium (Ce) (10 and 20 μM), and terbium (Tb) (10 and 20 μM) on seedling growth of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), which is one of the most important perennial leguminous forages in the world, were studied. The results showed that all three REE treatments quickened the germination of seeds. The length of shoot under La (20 μM) treatment was significantly shortened (P < 0.05). In addition, treatment with La, Ce, and Tb had a “hormesis effect” on root length. There was a significant decrease in chlorophyll content on treatment with the three REEs, and the degree of decline was in the order of La < Ce < Tb, under the same concentration. In vitro experiments and quantum chemical calculations were further performed to explain why the treatments with REEs reduced the chlorophyll content. In vitro experiments showed that La, Ce, and Tb treatments reduced the absorbance of chlorophyll, and the decrease followed in the order of La > Ce > Tb. Quantum chemical calculations predicted that the decrease in absorption intensity was caused by the reactions between La, Ce, Tb, and chlorophyll, which formed lanthanides-chlorophyll; and there were five types of stable lanthanides-chlorophyll. In conclusion, the decrease in chlorophyll content on treatment with REEs was caused by the change in chlorophyll structure.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.731838/fullalfalfachlorophyll arare earth elementsquantum chemistrylanthanides-chlorophyll |
| spellingShingle | Kexiao Song Jinzhu Gao Shuo Li Yunfu Sun Haoyang Sun Baiyu An Tianming Hu Xueqing He Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Effects of Rare Earth Elements on Growth and Chlorophyll of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Seedling Frontiers in Plant Science alfalfa chlorophyll a rare earth elements quantum chemistry lanthanides-chlorophyll |
| title | Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Effects of Rare Earth Elements on Growth and Chlorophyll of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Seedling |
| title_full | Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Effects of Rare Earth Elements on Growth and Chlorophyll of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Seedling |
| title_fullStr | Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Effects of Rare Earth Elements on Growth and Chlorophyll of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Seedling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Effects of Rare Earth Elements on Growth and Chlorophyll of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Seedling |
| title_short | Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Effects of Rare Earth Elements on Growth and Chlorophyll of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Seedling |
| title_sort | experimental and theoretical study of the effects of rare earth elements on growth and chlorophyll of alfalfa medicago sativa l seedling |
| topic | alfalfa chlorophyll a rare earth elements quantum chemistry lanthanides-chlorophyll |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.731838/full |
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