Influence of mycorrhizal fungi on phytoremediating potential and yield of sunflower in Cd and Pb polluted soils

The influence of mycorrhizal fungi in uptake of heavy metals, pollution response index and yield of sunflower in degraded soils were investigated. It was a greenhouse experiment with 2 arbuscular mycorrhizae (Glomus mosseae, Glomus intraradices) and a non-inoculation that served as control. The treatments were replicated 3 times in a completely randomized design. Each of the treatment consisted of 30 pots and each pot was filled with 5 kg by weight of dried top soil. Solutions of lead acetate and cadmium sulphate at variable levels of: 0, 250, 500, 750, 1000 mg kg-1 and 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 mg kg-1 respectively were used to pollute the soils. Increase in pollution-stressed conditions significantly (P<0.05) reduced the infection of sunflower roots, and the uptake of Pb and Cd in the dry root of sunflower was also significantly (P<0.05) reduced. Also, arbuscular mycorrhizae enhanced the root infection of sunflower, increased the pollution tolerance and consequently increased the yield of sunflower.