Potential of arbuscular mycorrhizae and tall fescue in remediation of soils polluted with zinc

ABSTRACT

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to investigate efficiency of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to remediate soils polluted with zinc (Zn). Treatments consisted of four AMFs (control, Rhizophagus intraradices, Funneliformis mosseae and Glomus versiforme) and five levels of Zn (Z₀: control, Z₁: 10 mg kg⁻¹, Z₂: 50 mg kg⁻¹, Z₃: 100 mg kg⁻¹ and Z₄: 500 mg kg⁻¹). The inoculation of tall fescue with F. mosseae and G. versiforme resulted in an increase in dry weight of shoots and uptake and concentration of shoot phosphorus) phosphorus (P) and Zn, while use of R. intraradices increased root dry weight and uptake of root Zn and P. The highest concentration of Zn in shoots was obtained in plants inoculated with F. mosseae. Root Zn concentration at all levels of Zn was significantly higher in plants inoculated with R. intraradices than other treatments. At 500 mg Zn kg⁻¹, Zn translocation efficiency was higher in plants inoculated with F. mosseae, followed by G. versiforme, while most effective accumulation of Zn in roots was in plants inoculated with R. intraradices. Generally, efficiency of AMF in phytoremediation of Zn by plants mainly depends on fungal isolates and levels of Zn.

KEYWORDS:

• Funneliformis mosseae
• Glomus versiforme
• phytoremediation
• Rhizophagus intraradices
• Tall fescue · Zinc

Acknowledgments

The financial support of re-experiment by Shiraz University is gratefully acknowledged. MZ conducted his first experiment in the form of a dissertation. The experiment was repeated as a lesson project, too. VAJMA performed the re-experiment and along with MZ wrote the first draft of the manuscript and helped at all manuscript preparing stages. JATdS co-designed the re-experiment, wrote the manuscript and provided a critical analysis of the design and data. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. All authors fulfill the ICMJE criteria for authorship and take public responsibility for the manuscript and data set.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest related to the topic was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Mehdi Zarei is an Associate Professor in the Department of Soil Science, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

Vahid Alah Jahandideh Mahjen Abadi is a Ph.D. Student in the Department of Soil Science, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva is a Retired/Independent Researcher, Kagawa-ken, Japan.