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Research article2021Peer reviewed

Response of spring wheat and potato to foliar application of Zn, Mn and EDTA fertilizers on Cs-137 uptake

Vinichuk, M.; Bergman, R.; Sundell-Bergman, S.; Rosen, K.

Abstract

The impact of foliar fertilization with zinc (ZnSO4) and manganese (MnSO4 on Cs-137 uptake by spring wheat and potato was studied. The experiments were conducted during 3 years (2014-2016) in a Cs-137-contaminated area, Zhytomyr region of Ukraine. The fertilization was carried out on podzolic loamy sand soil, poor in most of the microelements. Both crops were fertilized at four successive stages of growth. Foliar application of fertilizers caused higher yield of wheat grain/straw and potato tubers yield in 2014-2015 years but had no effect in 2016. Thus, the overall effect of fertilization between 2014 and 2016 was less pronounced and generally insignificant. Application of Zn, Mn and EDTA reduced Cs-137 uptake by wheat grain and potato tubers, when fertilized at earlier stages of growth and development in years 2014 and 2015 by factor 1.5-2.0, while in 2016 the effect was generally statistically insignificant. It is suggested, that reduction of Cs-137 uptake by spring wheat and potato, at least partly, was caused by an effect of radionuclide dilution due to the higher biomass of the plants. A foliar spray of EDTA at earlier stages of plant growth and development may be considered as a potential countermeasure aiming reducing Cs-137 uptake from soil to plants, even if such effect appeared to be conditional.

Keywords

Wheat; Potato; Zinc; Mamganese; EDTA; Radiocaesium

Published in

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
2021, Volume: 227, article number: 106466Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD

      SLU Authors

      • UKÄ Subject classification

      Environmental Sciences

      Publication identifier

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106466

      Permanent link to this page (URI)

      https://res.slu.se/id/publ/117822