Growth performance and inorganic mercury uptake of Vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanoides Nash) inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF): its implication to phytoremediation

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess the growth performance and inorganic mercury uptake of vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanoides Nash) inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Important growth parameters such as number of leaves, plant height, fresh weight and dry weight as well as mercury uptake were determined for one month duration. The experimental plants were applied with varying concentrations (0 ppm, 2 ppm, 4 ppm and 6 ppm) of mercuric chloride (HgCl₂). Different HgCl₂ treatments showed no significant difference in terms of number of leaves, plant height and dry weight in C. zizanoides, while those inoculated with AMF showed significant difference in fresh weight and percentage root colonization. In terms of mercury uptake, the mean uptake ranges from 0.001 ppm to 0.98 ppm which correspond to 0.13% to 1.86% uptake. Furthermore, mercury uptake in inoculated plants and Glomus sp. and Mykovam^TM-inoculated plants showed no significant difference at lower mercury concentrations but uptake significantly reduced in uninoculated plants at highest mercury concentration (6 ppm). It can be deduced that uptake rate of vetiver increased with AMF inoculation even at high mercury concentrations.