ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Abiotic Stress
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1554519
This article is part of the Research TopicImpact of Soil Contaminants on Plant Physiology and Crop ProductivityView all 11 articles
Dual Application of β-Sitosterol and Biochar Reduces Copper Toxicity in Bamboo via Improved Redox Homeostasis
Provisionally accepted
- 1Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- 2Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
- 3Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize, Türkiye, Rize, Türkiye
- 4Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China
- 5University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
- 6Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Moscow Oblast, Russia
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Heavy metal pollution threatens ecosystems and agriculture, necessitating affordable solutions. We evaluated the combined effect of β-sitosterol (Bs, 100 mg L⁻¹) and eucalyptus biochar (Eb, 10%) on bamboo (Sasa kongosanensis f. aureo-striatus) under copper stress (100 and 200 mg L⁻¹ Cu). Elevated Cu inducedCu induced oxidative stress via reactive oxygen species (ROS) and methylglyoxal (MG), impairing photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, and growth. Bs and Eb, individually or combined, enhanced antioxidant activity (SOD, CAT, POD, PAL), glyoxalase cycle efficiency, and osmolyte accumulation (proline, glycine betaine), mitigating oxidative damage. The treatments improved photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange, and water retention while reducing Cu translocation and bioaccumulation. Combined Bs+Eb most effectively lowered Cu levels in roots (36–45%), stems (35–38%), and leaves (24–51%) compared to controls. Nutrient uptake (Fe, Mg, Mn, K, P, Ca) was increased by 12–44% with Eb and 7–25% with Bs alone, yetbut synergistically by 87–190% with Bs+Eb. Biomass and shoot length were improved by 26–54% under Cu stress. The dual application also reduced electrolyte leakage (41–66%) and MG content (12–19%) while boosting non-enzymatic antioxidants (GSH, AsA) by 67–139%. These results demonstrate that Bs and Eb jointly enhance bamboo tolerance toagainst Cu by improving redox homeostasis, nutrient retention, and stress resilience. This approach offers a sustainable strategy for phytoremediation and soil restoration in Cu-contaminated environments
Keywords: Bamboo species, Biochar application, β-Sitosterol, Plant Stress Tolerance, heavy metals
Received: 02 Jan 2025; Accepted: 21 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Emamverdian, Pehlivan, Zhang, Sultan, Li and Zargar. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Necla Pehlivan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize, Türkiye, Rize, Türkiye
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