Responses to copper of two registered poplar clones inoculated or not with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Abstract

Two registered clones of poplar were grown in soil contaminated or not with copper. Some of the plants were pre-inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. Copper effects on plant growth were evaluated, as well as the role of AM fungi in alleviating metal stress. Polyamine content, a class of molecules involved in stress responses, metal content and P content were used to describe plant conditions. The two clones showed several differences in relation to copper pollution and AM symbiosis, confirming the importance of accurate plant selection for phytoremediation purposes. The large accumulation of copper in the roots suggested that poplar is suitable for phy-tostabilization strategies when this kind of pollution is present.

Key words:

• AM fungi
• copper
• polyamines
• poplar

Abbreviations:

AM: Arbuscular mycorrhizal; NoMet: plants grown in soil without the addition of zinc or copper; Cu: plants grown in soil with addition of copper; CuGm plants inoculated with Glomus mosseae and grown in soil with the addition of copper; CuGi: plants inoculated with Glomus intraradices and grown in soil with the addition of copper; TF_L: Translocation Factor from the roots to the leaves; TF_S Translocation Factor from the roots to the shoots; DW: dry weight;P: phosphorus; PA(s): Polyamine(s); Put: Putrescine; Spd: Spermidine; Spm: Spermine.

Abbreviations:

AM: Arbuscular mycorrhizal; NoMet: plants grown in soil without the addition of zinc or copper; Cu: plants grown in soil with addition of copper; CuGm plants inoculated with Glomus mosseae and grown in soil with the addition of copper; CuGi: plants inoculated with Glomus intraradices and grown in soil with the addition of copper; TF_L: Translocation Factor from the roots to the leaves; TF_S Translocation Factor from the roots to the shoots; DW: dry weight;P: phosphorus; PA(s): Polyamine(s); Put: Putrescine; Spd: Spermidine; Spm: Spermine.