• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.262-273
• /
• 2020

Amending biopolymers such as β-glucan (BG) and Xanthan gum (XG) generally enhances soil strength by ionic and hydrogen bonds between soil particles. Thus, biopolymers have been studied as eco-friendly construction materials in levees. However, physiological responses of plants grown on soil amended with biopolymers are not fully understood. This study focuses on the effects of biopolymers on the growth of Camelina sativa L. (Camelina) under excess zinc (Zn) stress. The optimal concentrations of BG and XG were confirmed to have a 0.5% ratio in soil depending on the physiological parameters of Camelina under excess Zn stress. The Zn binding capacity of biopolymers was investigated using 1,5-diphenylthiocarbazone (DTZ). The reduction of Zn damage in Camelina was evaluated by analyzing the Zn content and expression of heavy metal ATPase (HMA) genes under excess Zn stress. Amendments of BG and XG improved Camelina growth under excess Zn stress. In DTZ staining and ICP-OES analysis, Camelina grown on BG and XG soil showed less Zn uptake than normal soil under excess Zn stress. The Zn-inducible CsHMA3 gene was not stimulated by either BG or XG amendment under excess Zn stress. Moreover, both BG and XG amendments in soil exhibit Zn-stress mitigation similar to that of Zn-tolerant CsHMA3 overexpres sed Camelina. These results indicate that biopolymer-amended soils may influence the prevention of Zn absorption in Camelina under excess Zn stress. Thus, BG and XG are proven to be suitable materials for levee construction and can protect plants from soil contamination by Zn.