PHYTOREMEDIATIVE POTENTIAL OF IN VITRO GROWN TROPAEOLUM MAJUS L. FOR HEAVY METALS UPTAKE FROM THE TANNERIES CONTAMINATED SOILS OF KASUR

Abstract

The phytoremediative scavenging efficiency of in-vitro grownTropaeolummajus(Garden nasturtium) for Chromium and Lead uptake was estimated and compared with that of fieldgrown plants, using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. In vitro plantlets were grown on MS basalmedium containing a combination of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyaceticacid(2,4-D)and6-Benzylaminopurine(BAP) (2.0mg/L+1.0mg/L) under controlled physical factors. Both in- vivo andhardened in-vitroplants were shifted to contaminated soil of Tanneries at Kasur. After 60 days of growth in this contaminated soil, the plants bioassays were subjected to Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy for the estimation of heavy metals uptake. The in-vivo grownTropaeolummajusabsorbed much lesser amount of both the metals (2.65 and 1.42ppm) as compared to in-vitro grownplants which showed higher scavenging ranges (5.91 and 3.20 ppm) for Cr and Lead respectively. Thein-vitro grown plants showed higher level of heavy metals scavenging potential as compared to theirregular field grown counterparts. This increased level of phytoremediative efficiency of tissue culturedplants may have a practical application to clean the agricultural lands in future