Evaluating of the tebuthiuron phytoremediation utilizing crotalaria juncea as indicating plant

Abstract

Several essays have been done using the phytoremediation in the treatment of soil contaminated with organic compounds, like the herbicide tebuthiuron, due to its long residual effect. The objective of this work was to evaluate the capacity of some plant species to reduce the soil residues of tebuthiuron. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, using tebuthiuron in the doses 0.0; 0.5; 1.0 and 1.5; kg ha-1, followed by the sowing of the species Cajanus cajan, Canavalia ensiformis, Dolichos lablab, Pennisetum glaucum, Stizolobium deeringiana, Stizolobium aterrimum and Lupinus albus and parcels without any plant. In the same vases the Crotalaria juncea was sown as indicator plant. After 60 days of sowing of Crotalaria juncea, the height , toxicity symptoms and dry biomass of the aerial part of the plants, were evaluated. The largest height of the plants dry biomass and smaller C. juncea toxicity, was obtained after the previous cultivation of C. ensiformis, C. cajan, S. aterrimum and L. albus up to the dose of 1.0 kg ha-1. However, in the largest dose, C. ensiformis, L. albus and P. glaucum were the species that presented better remedial effect.