Phytoextraction Potential of Indian Mustard at Various Levels of Zinc Exposure

ABSTRACT

Indian mustard (Brassica juncea Czern.) has the potential to extract zinc (Zn) and other metals from contaminated soils, but the potential to accumulate metals at different levels of exposure is not well documented. The objectives of this research were to assess plant growth and Zn accumulation for different metal-accumulating accessions of Indian mustard grown with various Zn concentrations. In the experiment, three accessions of Indian mustard (426308, 182921, and 211000) were supplied with 12 levels of Zn (ranging from 0.0 to 7.0 mg L^?1) for three weeks in solution culture. Accession 426308 had a greater capacity for dry-mass accumulation than the others, but differences among accessions lessened as the concentration of Zn in solution increased. Accessions did not differ in Zn concentrations in shoots, but accession 426308 had a greater potential to accumulate Zn than the other accessions. Elevating the Zn supply in solutions had a limited effect on increasing the total Zn accumulation of shoots. Plants suffered Zn-induced iron (Fe) deficiency if the Zn concentration in solution exceeded 2.0 mg Zn L^?1. The level of Zn tolerance of Indian mustard accessions was: 211000 > 182921 > 426308. Maximum Zn accumulation in shoots was approximately 5.0 mg Zn per plant. The phytoextraction potential of Indian mustard may be limited under Zn-contaminated conditions by nutrient disorders and toxic effects of Zn that suppress growth.