The effect of Mycorrhizal fungi on the phytoremediation potential of copper element in Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

Ornamental plants have a special position in beautify of the industrial and urban landscape and recognition of hyperaccumulator species for amendment of contaminated soils has a considerable value. The effect of different levels of copper in conditions of presence or absence of mycorrhiza fungi on growth characteristics Zinnia flowers were studied In this research. A factorial experiment with a completely randomized design with 5 replications was conducted in greenhouse conditions. The Plants were harvested after a period of 70 days and some parameters such as shoot and root length, leaf number, leaf area, root volume, shoot and root dry weight, root mycorrhizal colonization percentage and copper concentration in shoot and root were measured. The Results showed that the effect of mycorrhizal fungi on all parameters was significant at the 1% level and Mycorrhizae enhanced shoot dry weight, root fresh and dry weight, and root copper concentration Respectively by 91, 83 , 92 and 71 percent than non-mycorrhizal control. The effect of copper levels were significant on shoot length at 5 % and on the other parameters at 1% percent level. The level of 800 mg/kg of copper decreased the number of leaves, root length, mycorrhizal colonization percentage and leaf area by 39 , 31 , 25 and 97 percent in compare to control Respectively. The interaction between copper and fungi had no significant effect on shoot length and leaf area, but were significant on leaf number at 5 % and on the other parameters at 1 % level.