In experiments (3)–(8), each pot contained one seedling of P. major. Each whole plant uptake experiment was performed in potted soil for 9 days. Air-dried sieved clay loam soil (organic matter, 1.79%, pH 7.8, electric conductivity 2.36 mS/m; Aboutwala, Minya al-Qamh, Sharqia, Egypt) was placed in plastic pots