The damage caused by Cd toxicity to photosynthesis, cellular ultrastructure, antioxidant metabolism, and gene expression in young cacao plants are mitigated by high Mn doses in soil.

Manganese (Mn) is one of the essential mineral micronutrients most demanded by cacao. Cadmium (Cd) is highly toxic to plants and other living beings. There are indications that Mn can interact with Cd and mitigate its toxicity.

Soil flooding and its outcome on cadmium and nutrient uptake affect photosynthetic activity in Inga laurina plants.

Urban areas next to mangroves are subject to progressive heavy metal contamination. Treelets of Inga laurina were collected in this ecosystem and cultivated for 30 days in waterlogged conditions and closed pots (WC) and at field capacity (FC), while exposed to different Cd concentrations (0, 50 and 100 mg·kg). Soil water conditions did not affect total Cd in plants, with Cd accumulating in roots and WC inducing less leaf chlorophyll while increasing carotenoids and chlorophyll ratio.

Single-base resolution methylomes of somatic embryogenesis in Theobroma cacao L. reveal epigenome modifications associated with somatic embryo abnormalities.

Propagation by somatic embryogenesis in Theobroma cacao has some issues to be solved, as many morphologically abnormal somatic embryos that do not germinate into plants are frequently observed, thus hampering plant production on a commercial scale. For the first time the methylome landscape of T. cacao somatic embryogenesis was examined, using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing technique, with the aim to understand the epigenetic basis of somatic embryo abnormalities.

Uranium transfer in grasses grown on mining waste and natural soil.

The transfer of radionuclides from soil to the food chain often begins with uptake by plant root system. The roots of most angiosperms showed symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and to understand the transfer process of these toxic elements it is important to consider different physical, chemical and biological factors in soils. In the present study, three grass species (Poaceae), Zea mays, Chrysopogon zizanioides and Aristida setifolia were cultivated with and without organic fertilization in experimental blocks on natural soils, at Fazenda Vargem Formosa (VF) with low uranium (U) contents in the soil, and in the leached ore deposit at the Uranium Concentrate Unit Mine (URA) in Caetité (Uraniferous Province of Lagoa Real - Brazil).

Mitigation of Cd toxicity by Mn in young plants of cacao, evaluated by the proteomic profiles of leaves and roots.

Cd is a non-essential metal and highly toxic to plants, animals and humans, even at very low concentrations. Cd has been found in cocoa beans and in their products, as in the case of chocolate. Mn plays an important role in photosynthetic and can interact with Cd and attenuate its toxic effects on plants.