Tolerância de Jatobá (Hymenaea courbaril) ao Cádmio em Função da Aplicação de Pó de Rocha e Fungo Micorrízico Arbuscular

Abstract

Phytoremediation uses plants and microbiota such as AMF (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) to extract and/or reduce the contaminants toxicity in the soil, such as cadmium, which is highly toxic and easily absorbed by the food chain. It is an effective, non-destructive, and economical soil remediation technique. The Cerrado offers native plants such as Hymenaea courbaril (Jatobá) which is a tree species widely distributed in Brazil, that can make phytoremediation as a low-cost alternative using green technologies, without environmental impact. There is also other types of green technologies such as rock dust that naturally and gradually releases minerals into the soil. Due to the lack of information about the tolerance of this species to metals and information that can be used for phytoremediation, the objective of this study was to evaluate the growth capacity of Hymenaea courbaril in soil supplemented with rock dust, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and contaminated soil. with different cadmium concentrations. Through measurements of growth and gas exchange, there was determined the functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus of plants grown under these conditions and was evaluated whether treatments with rock dust and AMF confer an advantage to the plant to survive in the contamination scenario. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse at IF Goiano – Campus Rio Verde. A Red Latosol and a randomized block design were used; the contamination solution was prepared using cadmium chloride pentahydrate, in a final concentration of 1 g/L, totalling four concentrations of the contaminant (control, 5 mg, 10 mg and 15 mg per kg of soil). 5 grams of phosphate rock powder, 100g of earthworm humus and 150g of sand were added per experimental unit containing 2 liters of soil, with the intention of improving the root growth environment. Finally, inoculation with FMA (Rhizophagus clarus) to obtain 1200 spores was added. It was observed that Jatobá is potentially a candidate for phytoremediation of areas contaminated by cadmium, since the treatments with the dosages of cadmium did not differ from control treatment in several analyses carried out.