Effect of Microbial Exopolysaccharides in Soil on Metal Availability to Plants (Copper, Cadmium, Binding)

Many microorganisms in soil produce extracellular polysaccharides. Often these materials are anionic due to acidic subunits and substituents. As such, they are potential binding sites for metallic cations--some that are necessary for plant nutrition, and others that are pollutant metals of anthropogenic origin. This research sought the answers to three questions: (1) What is the affinity and capacity of exopolysaccharides for bound metals? (2) Do exopolysaccharides persist in soils long enough for their metal binding to affect the concentration of metals in the soil solution? (3) Can exopolysaccharides diminish metal uptake by plants?

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agronomy

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

1985

Author dc:creator

• Miller, Kathleen Wilber

• Agriculture, Agronomy

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8600267

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/71618