Mycorrhizal fungi, biochar, and selenium increase biomass of Vigna radiata and reduce arsenic uptake

Abstract

Growth and As uptake of mung bean (Vigna radiata) in roots, shoots, and grains of different genotypes grown in soil with high As level (30 mg kg⁻¹) amended with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, selenium, and biochar was investigated. Arsenic content in grains was reduced on average by 45% with any of the soil amendments. More specifically, the As concentrations in grains were reduced by 57% with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and by 60% with Se amendments. Also, great differences in As-uptake between varieties have been observed.

Keywords:

• Arsenic
• mung bean
• biochar
• mycorrhizal fungi
• nutritional quality

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the laboratory of Crop and Soil Sciences at Washington State University (WSU), WA, USA, and the Laboratory of Environmental Science at BSMRAU. This research is also recognized as part of a collaborative Ph.D. program between Washington State University and the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU): Mymensingh-2202.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors are especially grateful to the Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship Trust and BSMRAU for their valuable funding. This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch project 1014754.