Seed productivity and seed quality of two Sarepta mustard cultivars under different zinc concentrations in the root environment

Currently, in Russia and other countries, the areas under Sarepta mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) are increasing, which is associated with its multi-purpose use, as well as good adaptation to adverse environmental factors. The ability of Sarepta mustard to grow on soils with increased zinc concentrations is also known. At the same time, the content of this metal in plant seeds is usually low due to the effective operation of its detoxification mechanisms. This suggests the possibility of growing Sarepta mustard for seeds on soils with a high zinc level. In this work, the effect of different zinc concentrations (5, 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg of substrate) on seed productivity and seed quality of two Sarepta mustard cultivars (‘Slavyanka’ and ‘Zolushka’) was studied. The research was carried out in a sandy substrate under vegetation experiment conditions. It has been established that high zinc concentrations have a greater effect on the weight and number of seeds, and a lesser effect on the pods number and 1000 seeds weight. Thus, at a zinc concentration of 150 mg/kg of substrate, the number and weight of seeds in the ‘Slavyanka’ cultivar were 2 times less than in the control. In the ‘Zolushka’ cultivar even at zinc concentration of 100 mg/kg of substrate both parameters were 4 times lower than in the plants of the control variant. Based on the results, a number of seed productivity parameters were compiled according to the degree of zinc negative effect on them. It was also revealed that the quality of the formed seeds, determined by the germination energy, seed viability and the initial growth, was high in all variants regardless of the zinc content in the substrate. Moreover, the seeds were able to germinate successfully even on a "provocative background" – a high zinc concentration (1000 μM). The ‘Slavyanka’ cultivar turned out to be the most resistant to high zinc concentrations. A conclusion was made about the possibility and prospects of using Sarepta mustard for growing seeds on zinc-contaminated soils.

1. Lukomets V. M., Zelentsov S. V., Krivoshlikov K. M. Outlook and reserves the expansion of oil crops production in the Russian Federation. Maslichniye kulturi. Nauchno-tekhnichesky byulleten Vserossiyskogo nauchnoissledovatelskogo instituta maslichnikh kultur = Oil crops. Scientific and technical Bulletin of VNIIMK. 2015;(4(164)):81–102. (In Russ.). URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=25304524

2. Zhang X., Jia Q., Jia X., Li J., Sun X., Min L. et al. Brassica vegetables—an undervalued nutritional goldmine. Horticulture Research. 2025;12:uhae302. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhae302

3. Trubina V. S., Serdyuk O. A., Gorlova L. A. Ecological stability and plasticity of spring brown mustard variety of VNIIMK breeding. Maslichniye kulturi = Oil crops. 2024;(1(197)):40–44. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.25230/2412-608X-2024-1-197-40-44

4. Vikhodtsev V. A., Tulkubayeva S. A., Tulayev Yu. V., Somova S. V., Nugmanov A. B. Productivity of mustard gray depending on mineral nutrition and the use of fertilizers on the chernozems of the southern Kostanay region. Nauka i obrazovaniye. 2023;(2–2(71)):221–228. (In Kazakhstan). DOI: https://doi.org/10.52578/2305-9397-2023-2-2-221-228

5. Gushchina V. A., Lykova A. S., Prokhorova Yu. A. Yield formation of chinese mustard varieties depending on seeding rate in the forest-steppe of the Middle Volga region. Agrarny nauchny zhurnal = The Agrarian Scientific Journal. 2024;(10):4–11. (In Russ.). DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.28983/asj.y2024i10pp4-11

6. Huang H., Luo L., Huang L., Zhang J., Gikas P., Zhou Y. Effect of Manure Compost on Distribution of Cu and Zn in Rhizosphere Soil and Heavy Metal Accumulation by Brassica juncea. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution. 2020;231:195. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04572-4

7. Kamal M. A., Perveen K., Khan F., Sayyed R. Z., Hock O. G., Bhatt S. C. et al. Effect of different levels of EDTA on phytoextraction of heavy metal and growth of Brassica juncea L. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2023;14:1228117. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1228117

8. Chaudhry H., Nisar N., Mehmood S., Iqbal M., Nazir A., Yasir M. Indian mustard Brassica juncea efficiency for the accumulation, tolerance and translocation of zinc from metal contaminated soil. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology. 2020;23:101489. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2019.101489

9. Broadley M. R., White P. J., Hammond J. P., Zelko I., Lux A. Zinc in plants. New Phytologist. 2007;173:677–702. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.01996.x

10. Titov A. F., Kaznina N. M., Talanova V. V. Heavy metals and plants. Petrozavodsk: Karelsky nauchny tsentr RAN, 2014. 194 p. URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=23779831

11. Pasricha S., Mathur V., Garg A., Lenka S., Verma K., Agarwal S. Molecular mechanisms underlying heavy metal uptake, translocation and tolerance in hyperaccumulators-an analysis: Heavy metal tolerance in hyperaccumulators. Environmental Challenges. 2021;4:100197. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2021.100197

12. Ozturka L., Yazicia M. A., Yucelb C., Torunb A., Cekicc C., Bagcid A. et al. Concentration and localization of zinc during seed development and germination in wheat. Physiologia Plantarum. 2006;128(1):144 –152. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3054.2006.00737.x

13. Batova Yu. V., Laydinen G. F., Kaznina N. M., Titov A. F. Effect of cadmium on the growth and seed production of annual cereals. Agrokhimiya. 2012;(6):79–83. (In Russ.). URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=17868493

14. Kaznina N. M., Zadvornaya A. K., Batova Yu. V. Effect of zinc excess on seed quality of barley. Agrokhimiya. 2021;(8):57–61. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S0002188121060065

15. Nikolayeva M. G., Lyanguzova I. V., Pozdova L. M. Biology of seeds. SPb: NII khimii SPbGU, 1999. 232 p. URL: https://djvu.online/file/XbZ0nmM5az4OQ

16. Nagel M., Kranner I., Neumann K., Rolletschek H., Seal C. E., Colville L. et al. Genome-wide association mapping and biochemical markers reveal that seed ageing and longevity are intricately affected by genetic background and developmental and environmental conditions in barley. Plant Cell & Environment. 2015;38(6):1011–1022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.12474

17. Zinsmeister J., Leprince O., Buitink J. Molecular and environmental factors regulating seed longevity. Biochemical Journal. 2020;477(2):305–323. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20190165

18. Titov A. F., Talanova V. V., Kaznina N. M., Laydinen G. F. Plant resistance to heavy metals. Petrozavodsk: Karelsky nauchny tsentr RAN, 2007. 170 p. URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=19495991

19. Alekseychuk G. N., Laman N. A. Physiological quality of seeds of agricultural crops and methods of its assessment. Minsk: Pravo i ekonomika, 2005. 48 p. URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318099496_Fiziologiceskoe_kacestvo_seman_selskohozajstvennyh_kultur_i_metody_ego_ocenki

20. Małecka A., Konkolewska A., Han´c A., Barałkiewicz D., Ciszewska L., Ratajczak E. et al. Insight into the Phytoremediation Capability of Brassica juncea (v. Malopolska): Metal Accumulation and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity. International Journal Molecular Sciences. 2019;20(18):4355. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20184355

21. Liao Y., Li Z., Yang Z., Wang J., Li B., Zu Y. Response of Cd, Zn Translocation and Distribution to Organic Acids Heterogeneity in Brassica juncea L. Plants. 2023;12(3):479. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030479

22. Glińska S., Gapińska M., Michlewska S., Skiba E., Kubicki J. Analysis of Triticum aestivum seedling response to the excess of zinc. Protoplasma. 2016;253:367–377. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-015-0816-3