Plant selection for phytoremediation of soils contaminated with picloram

To initiate a phytoremediation program, the first step is to evaluate the tolerance of selected species to its contaminant. Regtstered for use in Brazil, picloram may cause carryover and underground water contamination problems due to its high persistence on soil. Thus, this work aimed to select species tolerant to picloram in soil contaminated with this herbicide for posterior use in phytoremediation programs. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, in Rio Verde-GO,from October to December of 2005. The treatments consisted of combinations of 19 plant species [Brachiaria brizantha (cv. Marandu); Brachiaria brizantha (cv. MG-5 Vitoria); Brachiaria brizantha (cv. Mulato); Brachiaria decumbens; Brachiaria humidicola; Brachiaria ruziziensis; Panicum maximum (cv. Massai; Panicum maximum (cv. Mombaca); Panicum maximum (cv. Tanzania), Pennisetum purpureum x Pennisetum glaucum (cv. Paraiso): Eleusine coracana; Pennisetum glaucum (cv. ADR-300); Pennisetum glaucum (cv. ADR-500); Sorghum bicolor x Sorghum sudanense - Cover Crop, Sorghum bicolor x Sorghum sudanense (cv. Jumbo); Paspalum atratum; Zea mays (hibrid Coodetec 208); Canavalia ensiformis; and Stizolobium aterrimum] and five rates of picloram (0, 80, 160, 320 and 640 g ha(-1)), in 95 treatments. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design in a factorial scheme 19 X 5, with four replications. Samples of eutroferric Red Latosol were used as substrate to plant growth, with the herbicide applied after filling and humidifying the pots, and after 15 days, seeds from the plant species were sown. After analyzing the results, Zea mays (hybrid Coodetec 208), Sorghum bicolor x Sorghum sudanense - Cover Crop, Eleusine coracana, Brachiaria brizantha (cv. MG-5 Vitoria), Pennisetum glaucum (cv. ADR-500), Brachiaria decumbens, Brachiaria ruziziensis, Brachiaria humidicola, Pennisetum glaucum (cv. ADR-300), Brachiaria brizantha (cv. Mulato), Sorghum bicolor x Sorghum sudanense (cv. Jumbo), Panicum maximum (cv. Tanzania), Panicum maximum (cv. Mombaca) and Panicum maximum (cv. Massai) showed tolerance to herbicide carryover on soil, thus these species may be initially evaluated in phytoremediation programs of this herbicide.