Mycorrhizal fungi influence on brachiariagrass growth and heavy metal extraction in a contaminated soil

Abstract

The influence of 14 arbuscular mycorrhiza fungal isolates (AMF) on brachiariagrass growth and extraction of Zn, Cd, Cu and Pb from a contaminated soil was evaluated in a greenhouse experiment. Mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal Brachiaria decumbens plants were grown in pots with 0.92 kg of soil containing (mg kg^-1): Zn, 3,300; Cu, 60; Cd, 29; Pb, 73. The AMF increased dry matter yield in 84%. Plant heavy metal concentrations were high and were inversely related to dry matter yield. Isolates caused no effect on Pb, but reduced shoot Zn, Cd and Cu concentrations by 20, 28 and 63%, respectively. It was observed effect of mycorrhiza on Cu accumulation in roots (over 1,000%). Isolates enhanced the total amount of soil extracted metals by 845, 142, 68 and 54% for Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd, respectively. Only Acaulospora spinosa, Acaulospora morrowiae-UFLA and Gigaspora gigantea enhanced simultaneous soil extraction of all the four metals. The AMF increase the capacity of B. decumbens to extract contaminant heavy metals from soil, with differentiated effects amongst species.