Increase of multi-metal tolerance of three leguminous plants by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonization.
A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Glomus mosseae on the growth and metal uptake of three leguminous plants (Sesbania rostrata, Sesbania cannabina, Medicago sativa) grown in multi-metal contaminated soil. AMF colonization increased the growth of the legumes, indicating that AMF colonization increased the plant's resistance to heavy metals. It also significantly stimulated the formation of root nodules and increased the N and P uptake of all of the tested leguminous plants, which might be one of the tolerance mechanisms conferred by AMF. Compared with the control, colonization by G. mosseae decreased the concentration of metals, such as Cu, in the shoots of the three legumes, indicating that the decreased heavy metals uptake and growth dilution were induced by AMF treatment, thereby reducing the heavy metal toxicity to the plants. The root/shoot ratios of Cu in the three legumes and Zn in M. sativa were significantly increased (P<0.05) with AMF colonization, indicating that heavy metals were immobilized by the mycorrhiza and the heavy metal translocations to the shoot were decreased.
Lin
Ai-Jun
AJ
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, PR China.
Zhang
Xu-Hong
XH
Wong
Ming-Hung
MH
Ye
Zhi-Hong
ZH
Lou
Lai-Qing
LQ
Wang
You-Shan
YS
Zhu
Yong-Guan
YG
D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism; D000455:Medicago sativa / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism*; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D049931:Sesbania / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D003300:Copper