Accumulation of coal humic acids by wheat seedlings: Direct evidence using tritium autoradiography and occurrence in lipid fraction. Issue 6 (9th October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kulikova, Natalia A.; Badun, Gennadii A.; Korobkov, Viktor I.; Chernysheva, Maria G.; Tsvetkova, Eugenia A.; Abroskin, Dmitry P.; Konstantinov, Andrey I.; Zaitchik, Boris T.; Ruzhitsky, Alexander O.; Perminova, Irina V.
• Is Part Of: Journal of plant nutrition and soil science. Volume 177:Issue 6(2014:Dec.)
• Page Start: 875
• Page End: 883
• Publication Date: 2014-10-09
• Subjects: Plants -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; Soil science -- Periodicals; 630
• DOI: 10.1002/jpln.201300648
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1436-8730

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Humic acids (HA) are natural organic compounds that are important components of organic matter. The accumulation, distribution, and fate of tritium‐labeled HA prepared from coal were analyzed using wheat (<italic>Triticum aestivum</italic> L.) seedlings. There was a period of rapid accumulation of HA followed by a slower one in the period from 1 to 24 h. There was a significant decrease in HA accumulation at low temperature, indicating that the slower rate of HA accumulation represented a membrane‐mediated process. HA distribution in plant tissues was analyzed using autoradiography. In all cases, HA concentration was considerably higher in the roots than in the shoots. Detailed examination of autoradiograms showed that there was preferential accumulation of HA in the apices of roots and shoots of wheat seedlings. Lipid fractions were extracted from seedlings and analyzed with thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. These analyses revealed that labeled HA were present in the neutral lipid fraction consisting mainly of alkanes and alkenes, which are usually found in plant waxes, associated with the cuticle and suberized tissues. Based on these data, it is suggested that HA‐derived hydrocarbons may be used in wax biosynthesis. This role could explain the mitigating activity of humic substances under stress conditions.</p> </abstract>