Phytoextraction of Zinc by Indian Mustard and Tall Fescue

Abstract

This experiment evaluated the capacity of two species, Indian mustard (Brassica juncea Czern.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) to extract zinc (Zn) from soils. Also, this experiment focused on using nitrogen (N) fertilizers to increase the phytoextraction of Zn. Two soils of the Hadley series (Typic Udifluvents) were studied. A treatment array of Zn concentrations in soils was supplied as zinc sulfate. Nitrogen was supplied at 200 mg N/kg of soil as calcium nitrate, urea, or compost. Two successive plantings of Indian mustard in the same media were grown until flowering and harvested. Fescue was grown from seeding to a height of 15 cm, harvested, grown again in the same media to a height of 15 cm, and harvested again. After the second harvests of Indian mustard and fescue, soil samples were taken for analysis of extracts with water and with Morgan's solution. Indian mustard was grown with Zn additions ranging from 0 to 100 mg/kg soil. The shoot mass of Indian mustard in both harvests increased to a soil‐Zn level of 25 mg/kg and then decreased. Although growth decreased as the soil‐Zn levels increased beyond 25 mg/kg, Zn concentration and total accumulation increased linearly as the soil‐Zn levels increased. Zinc concentration and accumulation in Indian mustard were highest in soils amended with urea and were lowest in soils with no fertilizer. Fescue was grown with Zn additions ranging from 0 to 1000 mg/kg soil. The shoot mass of fescue increased to a soil‐Zn level of 125 mg/kg (harvest 1) or 250 mg/kg (harvest 2) and then decreased as the soil‐Zn levels increased. Concentration and accumulation of Zn in fescue increased linearly as the soil‐Zn levels increased. Zinc concentration and accumulation were highest in fescue grown in soils amended with urea and lowest in soils with no fertilizer. The highest accumulation of Zn in fescue (3800 mg/pot) occurred at 1000 mg Zn/kg soil. Highest concentrations of soil Zn were extracted with Morgan's solution or water from soils amended with urea, regardless of the species grown in the soils. Lowest concentrations of Zn were extracted from soils with no fertilizer added, regardless of extract or species. In general, if fertilizers (calcium nitrate, urea, or compost) were added to the soils, the pH decreased. Fescue was easy to grow, tolerated much higher soil‐Zn levels than Indian mustard in this research, and could be a species useful for phytoextraction of Zn.

Keywords:

• Brassica juncea
• Festuca arundinacea
• nitrogen fertilizers
• zinc availability
• extractable zinc

Acknowledgment

This publication, no. 3401 in the Massachusetts Experiment Station journal series, is based on work supported by the Cooperative State Research Extension Education Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station under project 841.