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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 7(3)

Tolerance of seven perennial grasses to high nickel in sand culture

P. M. Kopittke A B D , F. P. C. Blamey A B , R. A. Kopittke C , C. J. Asher A and N. W. Menzies A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A The University of Queensland, School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.

B Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC-CARE), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.

C Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Agri-Science Queensland, 80 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: p.kopittke@uq.edu.au

Environmental Chemistry 7(3) 279-286 https://doi.org/10.1071/EN09100
Submitted: 5 August 2009  Accepted: 17 February 2010   Published: 22 June 2010

Environmental context. High concentrations of Ni in soil may occur either naturally or as a result of human activities. We used a sand culture system to investigate the suitability of seven perennial grasses for the revegetation of Ni-contaminated sites. This study provides information on the toxic effects of Ni on plant growth and gives consideration to the health of animals consuming these plants, thereby increasing the accuracy of risk assessments.

Abstract. Although grasses are commonly used to revegetate disturbed areas, comparatively little is known regarding the tolerance of perennial grasses to toxic levels of trace metals. A sand culture experiment was conducted to investigate the tolerance of seven perennial grasses to high concentrations of Ni. The activity of Ni2+ in solution that resulted in a 50% reduction in shoot growth ranged from 50 µM for Sabi grass (Urochloa mosambicensis (Hack.) Dandy cv. Saraji) to 13 µM for curly Mitchell grass (Astrebla lappacea (Lindl.) Domin). In most grasses, growth in the high-Ni2+ treatments resulted in shoot Ni concentrations at or above the toxicity threshold for consumption by cattle (100 µg Ni g–1). Based upon their tolerance to Ni, and the extent to which they translocate Ni to the shoots, Sabi grass, signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. cv. Basilisk) and buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris (L.) cv. Biloela) appear well suited for the phytostabilisation of Ni-contaminated sites in subtropical and tropical regions.

Additional keywords: nickel toxicity, phytostabilisation, shoot growth, symptoms.


Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Jane O’Sullivan for assisting with the tissue analyses. The assistance of Professor Sal Viscuso with the laboratory work is appreciated. This research was funded through the Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC-CARE) Project 3-3-01-05/6.


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