INTERACTION EFFECTS OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI AND HEAVY METALS ON MAIZE PLANTS GROWN IN CADMIUM, LEAD AND ARSENIC CONTAMINATED SOIL

Al-Qarawi, A. A.; Al-Rowaily, S. L.; Al-Oud, S. S.

doi:10.21608/jacb.2009.99282

INTERACTION EFFECTS OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI AND HEAVY METALS ON MAIZE PLANTS GROWN IN CADMIUM, LEAD AND ARSENIC CONTAMINATED SOIL

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Dept. of Plant production College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

² Dept. of soil Science, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

10.21608/jacb.2009.99282

Abstract

Pot experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of arsenic, cadmium and lead on the growth response, phosphorus content and levels of mycorrhizal colonization of maize plants. Furthermore, the effects of mycorrhizal fungi on the growth and metals contents in maize plants grown in soil contaminated with heavy metals was also investigated. Heavy metals stress reduced, in most cases, shoot fresh and dry weights of maize plant, phosphorus content and levels of mycorrhizal colonization as compared to control untreated plants. However, no significant differences in these levels were obtained between different concentrations of heavy metals. Mycorrhizal colonization increased growth response, in general, of maize plants grown in soil contaminated with heavy metals as compared to equivalent non-mycorrhizal plants. In general, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation reduced heavy metals concentration in roots and shoots. This study shows that growing maize with AM inoculum can minimize heavy metals toxicity and increase growth and P uptake. In this regard, the AM fungus have a protective role, to some extent, for the host plant and therefore are of value in phytoremediation of heavy metals in soil contamination.

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