Willian Cleisson Lopes de Souza

Lead (Pb) is a highly toxic metal that threatens environmental and human health by impairing soil functioning and plant development and potentially entering the food chain. However, some plant species possess Pb tolerance mechanisms, making them promising candidates for the remediation of contaminated soils. This study aimed to evaluate the phytoremediation potential of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu cultivated in Pb‐contaminated soil microcosms by assessing its capacity for Pb absorption, accumulation, translocation, and tolerance. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using 100 dm ³ microcosms filled with Typic Quartzipsamment and four Pb levels (0, 72, 180, and 300 mg kg ⁻¹ ), under fertilization and liming conditions recommended for the species. At 180 days after the uniformity cut, the dry mass production of the aerial part and root (SDM and RDM), the concentrations and accumulation of Pb and nutrients in the soil and plant tissues, bioconcentration factor (BCF), and the translocation factor (TF) were evaluated. U. brizantha maintained biomass production under increasing levels of soil Pb contamination, demonstrating high tolerance to the metal. TF values U. brizantha rather than its use for phytoextraction. Its high Pb tolerance and ability to maintain biomass production in contaminated soil further support its potential use in assisted revegetation strategies. However, its long‐term phytostabilization effectiveness should be confirmed by assessing root bioconcentration and changes in soil Pb mobility and availability.

Increasing soil contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) compromises environmental quality and ecosystem health, reinforcing the need for effective remediation strategies. Phytoremediation uses plants to remove, immobilize, or neutralize contaminants and represents a sustainable approach for restoring contaminated soils. Although nickel (Ni) is an essential plant micronutrient, elevated concentrations can cause phytotoxicity. This integrative review aimed to synthesize and critically analyze the scientific literature on the phytoremediation of Ni-contaminated soils published between 2000 and 2026, focusing on the plant species evaluated, their phytoremediation potential, and the main research trends and knowledge gaps. The Web of Science Core Collection search identified 230 records. Original research articles addressing the phytoremediation of Ni-contaminated soils and providing sufficient information to characterize phytoremediation potential were considered eligible, resulting in 91 included studies. Plant responses varied according to species and Ni concentration. Among 449 plant records, defined as the occurrence of a plant taxon within a study, more than 86% corresponded to herbaceous plants; Poaceae accounted for 27.2% of the records, followed by Brassicaceae (15.1%). Brassica juncea was consistently identified as a promising species for Ni phytoremediation, showing Ni tolerance, phytoextraction, and hyperaccumulation across different studies. Alyssum murale stood out among the reported hyperaccumulators for its high Ni accumulation and phytoextraction potential. Overall, the reviewed evidence supports phytoremediation as a sustainable strategy for Ni-contaminated soils. However, important knowledge gaps remain, particularly the scarcity of long-term field studies, methodological heterogeneity, limited understanding of plant–soil–microbiota interactions, underrepresentation of major Ni-producing regions, and insufficient evidence on technical and economic feasibility. Future research should address these gaps through standardized approaches and integrated field assessments under contrasting edaphoclimatic conditions to advance the effective and sustainable application of Ni phytoremediation.

Increasing soil contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) threatens environmental quality and ecosystem health, reinforcing the need for effective remediation strategies. Phytoremediation uses plants to remove, immobilize, or neutralize contaminants and represents a sustainable approach for restoring contaminated soils. Although nickel (Ni) is an essential plant micronutrient, elevated concentrations can cause phytotoxicity. This review synthesized data from field and controlled-condition studies on the effects of soil Ni concentrations and the phytoremediation performance of plant species. A Web of Science search identified 230 studies, of which 94 met the predefined inclusion criteria. Plant responses varied according to species and Ni concentration. More than 86% of the 449 plant records corresponded to herbaceous plants; Poaceae accounted for over 26% of the reported Ni-phytoremediating taxa, followed by Brassicaceae at approximately 18%. Brassica juncea showed the most consistent performance, combining Ni tolerance with phytoextraction and hyperaccumulation. Alyssum murale exhibited the highest phytoextraction capacity and the highest Ni concentration among the hyperaccumulators. Overall, the reviewed evidence supports phytoremediation as a sustainable strategy for Ni-contaminated environments. However, further research is required to support large-scale implementation and ensure alignment with global environmental sustainability objectives.

Lead is an element intensively used by human activities, representing serious risks to food security due to soil contamination, making it essential to implement control strategies to mitigate its harmful effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of soil fertilization on the growth and lead accumulation of grasses used in the phytoremediation process. The experiments were conducted in a greenhouse using two soil types: Typic Quartzipsamment and a Xanthic Hapludox. A randomized block design was used in a 2 × 2 × 3 factorial scheme with three replicates, consisting of two soil types, two grasses ( Megathyrsus maximus cultivar “Mombaça” and Urochloa brizantha cultivar “Marandu”), and three levels of Pb contamination: no contamination, low contamination (45 mg kg ⁻¹ ), and high contamination (270 mg kg ⁻¹ ). The grasses were cultivated for 90 days after thinning, after which both shoot and root parts were collected for dry matter analysis and determination of Pb concentrations. Soil fertilization resulted in higher dry matter production of grasses compared to unfertilized soils, which allowed for the extraction of Pb from the soil into plant structures, increasing Pb accumulation in the grasses. The bioconcentration factor of grasses grown in fertilized soil was lower compared to unfertilized soil. U. brizantha under fertilization conditions showed greater growth even under stress, along with a high Pb accumulation in dry matter, especially in the shoots, indicating its potential as a Pb phytoextractor. On the other hand, M. maximus under fertilization conditions translocated less Pb to the shoots but exhibited a good capacity for soil extraction and root accumulation, demonstrating its potential as an alternative for Pb phytostabilization compared to U. brizantha .

Phytoremediation is a technique with high viability due to its low cost and minimal environmental impact. However, there are a few results regarding the use of tropical grasses in the phytoremediation of manganese (Mn), and there is no clear definition of which extractor is more suitable for assessing Mn availability in soils. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth potential and phytoremediation of five tropical grasses in Mn‐contaminated soil, as well as to assess the efficiency of four extractors in Mn extraction. The grass cultivars evaluated included Aruana and Tanzânia of Megathyrsus maximus, Xaraés and Marandu of Urochloa brizantha, and Basilisk of Urochloa decumbens grown in Typic Hapludox (Oxisol) amended with 0, 50, 150, and 450 mg of Mn per kg⁻¹ of soil. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, using a completely randomized experimental design in a 5 × 4 factorial scheme, with five replications. The experimental period lasted for 90 days. The dry matter of the shoot and root of the grasses was evaluated. Mn concentration in dry matter and its availability in soil were extracted by Mehlich‐1 and DTPA pH 7.3, while the semitotal concentration was determined by USEPA 3051 and total Mn by USEPA 3052 method. Tropical grasses showed reduced growth with increasing Mn rates in the soil, with the following sequence in the reduction in growth: Aruana > Basilisk > Marandu > Xaraés and lastly the Tanzânia. The Aruana cultivar showed greater potential for phytoextraction due to its higher ability to accumulate Mn in its biomass, followed by the Basilisk cultivar. The four different evaluated extractors were efficient in measuring Mn concentrations in the soil, with higher toxicity critical levels for the USEPA 3051 method due to the semitotal extraction nature and USEPA 3052 due to total Mn extraction. The growth of tropical grasses is reduced with increasing Mn rates applied to the soil. The Aruana of M. maximus grass has greater potential for phytoextraction of Mn‐contaminated soils, followed by Basilisk of Urochloa decumbens, Xaraés and Marandu of U. brizantha, and Tanzânia of M. maximus. The Mehlich‐1, DTPA pH 7.3, USEPA 3051, and 3052 extractors were efficient in extracting and evaluating Mn availability in soil for tropical grasses. The USEPA 3051 and 3052 methods presented higher toxicity critical levels.

Herbários são locais de armazenamento de amostras vegetais em forma de exsicatas. Desempenham importante função para o ensino de botânica, por auxiliarem na identificação e estudos as espécies de plantas, no entanto, nem todas as instituições de ensino dispõem desse recurso, o que dificulta as atividades de ensino e a realização de atividades de extensão e pesquisas na área de botânica. Objetivou-se com este trabalho a criação material didático botânico por meio da produção de imagens fotográficas e pranchas, bem como iniciar a criação de um acervo que poderá ser disponibilizado para estudos em ensino, pesquisa e extensão. Utilizou-se para tanto, órgãos vegetais de plantas endêmicas ou não, selecionadas entre as espécies conhecidas localmente. Os registros fotográficos foram realizados com câmeras de celulares. Para o tratamento das imagens foram utilizados os aplicativos Photoshop e Microsoft Word. Conclui-se que pela possibilidade da elaboração de material visual e didático de botânica com a utilização de recursos acessíveis á docentes e discentes, as pranchas fotográficas preparadas dos espécimes escolhidos podem substituir exsicatas quando não se tem acesso a herbários, sendo de fácil conservação e manutenção, contribuindo para o ensino da botânica nos cursos de nível médio e superior, podendo também auxiliar na identificação de plantas.

O pulgão preto do feijoeiro Aphis craccivora (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (Koch, 1854) é considerado uma praga polífaga, mas possui preferência por leguminosas. Com base nisso, objetivou-se com este estudo registrar a presença de A. craccivora em plantas de Vigna unguiculata e Phaseolus lunatus em casa de vegetação. O monitoramento e registro dos afídeos em plantas de V. unguiculata e Phaseolus lunatus foi realizado entre o período de dezembro de 2018 a março de 2019 em casa de vegetação, onde foram registrados ataques em plantas de V. unguiculata desde a fase fenológica V4 até o final do ciclo da cultura, causando danos como encarquilhamento de frutos devido a sucção de seiva. Em relação a P. lunatus, o registro de ataque foi observado no final do ciclo da cultura, onde não se observou danos às plantas e diminuição de sua produtividade. Por tanto, pode-se afirmar que em casos de infestação de A. craccivora em casa de vegetação, plantas de V. unguiculata estão mais suscetíveis e com maior propensão de danos e redução em sua colheita.

RESUMO: A Caatinga é um bioma único e exclusivo do Brasil e, apesar disso, são poucos os estudos que buscam compreender o processo de herbivoria que ocorre em espécies vegetais, mesmo sendo este um elemento de grande importância no que tange as relações ecológicas. Considerando-se as escassas informações acerca da ação do efeito de borda na herbivoria da espécie vegetal Ziziphus joazeiro Mart. (juazeiro) em área de Caatinga, este estudo teve como objetivo verificar se existe influência do efeito de borda sobre a herbivoria em juazeiro, considerando tanto a região de borda quanto de interior de um fragmento florestal. O estudo foi desenvolvido em um fragmento de Caatinga no município de Igaci-AL, com uma área experimental dividida em 20 transectos lineares de 10m², sendo 10 transectos na região de borda da área e outros 10, no interior da área estudada. Em cada transecto foram coletados, aleatoriamente, 10 limbos foliares, separados em sacos plásticos e levados para análise, onde foram fotografados e analisados através do programa Image J. Os dados obtidos foram transformados em √x+1 e submetidos à análise de variância, sendo as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade por meio do programa SISVAR. Também foi calculada a taxa de herbivoria. Foram encontrados, ao todo, 34 indivíduos, sendo 17 no interior do fragmento e 17 na borda. Apesar de em números brutos haver diferença no nível de herbivoria entre a borda e o interior, estatisticamente não houve significância, apresentando o mesmo nível de herbivoria em ambas as regiões. Além disso, as médias da taxa de herbivoria em condições de borda e de interior também não foram estatisticamente significativas. Quanto ao percentual de folhas com herbivoria (taxa de herbivoria), estas foram classificadas na categoria 1. Dessa forma, pode-se concluir que o efeito de borda não influenciou a herbivoria da espécie neste fragmento de Caatinga. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: semiárido, interação planta-animal, fragmentação de hábitats.