Examining the Role of Different Groups of Root Exudates in Metal-contaminated Soil
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Advisor
Nina Goodey
Access Type
Event
Start Date
26-4-2024 12:45 PM
End Date
26-4-2024 1:44 PM
Description
Root exudates include a mixture of organic acids, sugars, and amino acids. These compounds are a natural source of food for soil microbes and promote mycorrhizal association between soil and plants. This mycorrhizal association is a key player in ensuring plant survival; the absence of this association could lead to the death of plants and eventually make the land barren, thus promoting food insecurity. A variety of factors are responsible for this, such as heavy metal contamination which interferes with the microbes' ability to function efficiently. Our research aims to find out how different groups of artificial root exudes in unique combinations affect soil microbial function. Soil was collected from an abandoned area of Liberty State Park, in Jersey City, New Jersey, which is barren and contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. After the addition of exudate solutions, the soil microbial respiration rate was measured every three days to check how the microbes respond to different groups of exudates. The respiration rate increased following the addition, and stabilization took 31 days except in control. Our results revealed that two conditions that have a mixture of one sugar, one organic acid, and one amino acid work best in terms of microbial awakening and plant development. Our results suggest that artificial root exudates could be a cost-effective way to reclaim any metal-contaminated soil because they can promote microbial functioning and promote plant growth.
Examining the Role of Different Groups of Root Exudates in Metal-contaminated Soil
Root exudates include a mixture of organic acids, sugars, and amino acids. These compounds are a natural source of food for soil microbes and promote mycorrhizal association between soil and plants. This mycorrhizal association is a key player in ensuring plant survival; the absence of this association could lead to the death of plants and eventually make the land barren, thus promoting food insecurity. A variety of factors are responsible for this, such as heavy metal contamination which interferes with the microbes' ability to function efficiently. Our research aims to find out how different groups of artificial root exudes in unique combinations affect soil microbial function. Soil was collected from an abandoned area of Liberty State Park, in Jersey City, New Jersey, which is barren and contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. After the addition of exudate solutions, the soil microbial respiration rate was measured every three days to check how the microbes respond to different groups of exudates. The respiration rate increased following the addition, and stabilization took 31 days except in control. Our results revealed that two conditions that have a mixture of one sugar, one organic acid, and one amino acid work best in terms of microbial awakening and plant development. Our results suggest that artificial root exudates could be a cost-effective way to reclaim any metal-contaminated soil because they can promote microbial functioning and promote plant growth.