The effect of mycorrhizae on the growth of Paraserianthes falcataria L. (Nielsen) in an artificial growth medium containing copper and cadmium

Abstract

Excessive heavy metals Cu and Cd has a negative effect on plants. Mycorrhizae is a symbiosis between roots and mycorrhizal fungi which can improve the plant’s ability to survive under heavy metal stress and reduce its toxicity. Based on the previous study, mycorrhizae can increase the growth of Paraserianthes falcataria L. (Nielsen) under Pb stress. This study aims to reveal the effect of mycorrhizae on the growth of P. falcataria in an artificial growing media containing copper and cadmium. Paraserianthes falcataria inoculated with 0, 15 and 25 g of mycorrhizae and treated with 150 mg/kg of CuSO4 and 15 mg/kg of CdSO4. Parameters observed in this study were plant height, fresh weight, and leaf color on the 43 days after planting. The results showed that mycorrhizal inoculation did not significantly increase the height of P. falcataria treated with Cu and Cd. Fresh weight of P. falcataria in Cu and Cd treatment showed higher in mycorrhizal inoculated-plants than without mycorrhizae. Based on the observation of leaf color, there were dead plants without mycorrhizal inoculation in both metal treatments. Discoloration also found in most of the older leaves in Cu treatment plants inoculated with mycorrhizae and without mycorrhizae. Plants with normal colored leaves in Cd treatment increased at the higher mycorrhizal dose. The inoculation of mycorrhizae can improve the plant’s ability to alleviate the effects of toxicity caused by the excessive concentrations of Cu and Cd.