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Phytotoxicity of Thiocyanate to Rice Seedlings

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Abstract

The acute toxicity of potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) and ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN) to rice seedlings was tested. Hydroponically-grown plants showed different responses to the two species of thiocyanate. NH4SCN caused more severe stress to rice seedlings than KSCN. A significant reduction in transpiration and relative growth was observed with all NH4SCN treatments (p < 0.01), while the effect of KSCN on rice seedlings was more evident at greater than 100 mg SCN/L (p < 0.01). Both chemicals had a negligible effect on total chlorophyll content in shoots of rice seedlings (p > 0.05). Although phyto-transport of thiocyanate was apparent, rice seedlings showed significantly higher removal potential for NH4SCN than KSCN.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by The Education Department of Hunan Province, PR China (grant no: 11A047).

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  1. Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 41028, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao-Zhang Yu, Fu-Zhong Zhang & Fan Li

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  1. Xiao-Zhang Yu
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  2. Fu-Zhong Zhang
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  3. Fan Li
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Correspondence to Xiao-Zhang Yu.

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Yu, XZ., Zhang, FZ. & Li, F. Phytotoxicity of Thiocyanate to Rice Seedlings. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 88, 703–706 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0545-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0545-7

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