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 grown Tropaeolummajus
(Garden nasturtium) for Chromium and Lead uptake was estimated and compared with that of field
grown plants, using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. In vitro plantlets were grown on MS basal
medium containing a combination of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)and 6-
Benzylaminopurine (BAP) (2.0mg/L+1.0mg/L) under controlled physical factors. Both in- vivo and
hardened 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 grown Tropaeolummajus
absorbed much lesser amount of both the metals (2.65 and 1.42ppm) as compared to in-vitro grown
plants which showed higher scavenging ranges (5.91 and 3.20 ppm) for Cr and Lead respectively. The
in-vitro grown plants showed higher level of heavy metals scavenging potential as compared to their
regular field grown counterparts. This increased level of phytoremediative efficiency of tissue cultured
plants may have a practical application to clean the agricultural lands in future.