BIOACCUMULATION AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF FESTUCA ARUNDINACEA SCHREB. TO ZN(II) EXCESS

GONZÁLEZ MATÍAS; MARCELA RUSCITTI; JOSEFINA PLAZA CAZÓN; CECILIA ARANGO

Agronomía & Ambiente

Agronomía&Ambiente. Revista de la Facultad de Agronomía (UBA

Año: 2020

2314-2243

There is evidence showing that Festuca arundinacea plants can absorb and accumulate high amounts of Zn(II), greater than those considered as phytotoxic, without affecting plant growth. In order determine the usefulness of this species as a phytoremediation plant, a pot experiment was carried out to measure the physiological strategies employed by F. arundinacea ?Malma? Schreb plants growing in environments with an excess of Zn(II). The plants were grown until reaching adequate biomass, when increasing concentrations of Zn(II) were applied. Three months later, growth parameters (total biomass and leaf area), physiological parameters (relative membraneconductivity, chlorophyll and carotene contents, malondialdehyde in roots, and soluble proteins) and Zn(II) content were determined.Total biomass, leaf area, chlorophyll, carotene and protein contents in the aerial part showed a decline with the increase of Zn(II) concentration, whereas the relative conductivity, the protein content and malondialdehyde in roots showed the opposite pattern. Our results suggest that this species can be used for the phytostabilization of polluted soils with moderate concentrations of Zn(II)