Lead (Pb) is among the most toxic heavy metals in biological systems and causes toxicity from seed germination to yield formation. High Pb concentrations lead to oxidative damage and impair water relation and nutrition uptake in plants. Rye (Secale cereale L.) is an abiotic stress-tolerant crop, distributed in Eastern and Central Europe. Pb concentration in soils higher than 30 mg kg-1 is commonly toxic to plants. This study investigated the effects of different Pb concentrations [0, 100, 200 and 400 mu M of Pb(NO3)2] on mineral element concentrations (B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na and Zn) in rye plants. After 15 days of Pb stress, the levels of mineral elements (B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Zn, Mn and Na), and Pb accumulation were detected using by ICP-OES (Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry) in leaves and roots. Under 0, 100, 200 and 400 mu M Pb application, the Pb accumulation varied between 0.005-2.94 and 5.63-13.63 mg kg-1 in leaves, and 0.03-69.34-168.11-329.74 mg kg-1 in roots, respectively. Roots accumulated higher levels of Pb than the leaves. The amounts of Na, Fe and B concentrations reduced, whereas the contents of Ca, K, Mn, Cu, and Zn increased in both leaves and roots in a concentration-dependent manner. The maximum rate of increase or decrease in elemental contents was recorded for 400 mu M Pb-exposed plants. In addition, Mg content increased in leaves, but decreased in roots. Overall, our findings suggest that Pb-exposure causes alterations in mineral element concentrations in a concentration-dependent manner, which could be useful to make risk assessments for Pb pollution in agricultural lands.

By improving soil properties, cover crops can reduce wind erosion and sand damage to emerging cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants. However, on the Texas High Plains, questions regarding cover crop water use and management factors that affect cotton lint yield are common and limit conservation adoption by regional producers. Studies were conducted near Lamesa, TX, USA, in 2017-2020 to evaluate cover crop species selection, seeding rate, and termination timing on cover crop biomass production and cotton yield in conventional and no-tillage systems. The no-till systems included two cover crop species, rye (Secale cereale L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and were compared to a conventional tillage system. The cover crops were planted at two seeding rates, 34 and 68 kg ha(-1), and each plot was split into two termination timings: optimum, six to eight weeks prior to the planting of cotton, and late, which was two weeks after the optimum termination. Herbage mass was greater in the rye than the wheat cover crop in three of the four years tested, while the 68 kg ha(-1) seeding rate was greater than the low seeding rate in only one of four years for both rye and wheat. The later termination timing produced more herbage mass than the optimum in all four years. Treatments did not affect cotton plant populations and had a variable effect on yield. In general, cover crop biomass production did not reduce lint production compared to the conventional system.