Effects of bromides of potassium and ammonium on some crops

Abstract

In this work, the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), and pea (Pisum sativum L.) to bromides of potassium (KBr) and ammonium (NH₄Br) was studied. All plants were capable of accumulating high concentrations of bromine (Br). However, the Br accumulation depended on the Br compounds presented in the growth medium and plant species. The highest Br concentrations were observed in leaves and roots of the seedlings germinated in the medium spiked with KBr. Oat accumulated more Br than other plants and the lowest Br accumulation was observed in pea. The bioaccumulation of Br resulted in suppression of plant biomass and concentrations of several essential nutrients (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Zn and Cl). The most negative effects were caused by NH₄Br. Probably, this action was due to cumulative effects of Br^- and NH₄⁺. Among other plant species, the most tolerant to bromides was oat and the most sensitive was wheat.

Keywords:

• bromides
• bromine bioaccumulation
• nutrients
• plant biomass

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Mrs Seija Liikanen (Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, University of Oulu) for helping with sample analyses.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by Academy of Finland (N 297769) and Saint Petersburg State University (18.42.957.2016). Irina Shtangeeva acknowledges a partly support of this work by Russian Foundation for Fundamental Investigations (18-53-80010) providing her a possibility to perform greenhouse experiments.