CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

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 to 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 membrane conductivity, 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).