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Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) - Call for papers!

Survival and Growth Responses of Three Tree Species to Mycorrhiza and Fertilizers in the Bioremediation of a Mine Waste Dump

(Philippines), Doctor of Philosophy in Silviculture and Forest Influences (University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Dissertation Abstract:

 

The submarginal condition and cost of rehabilitation deter most of the mine spoil rehabilitation efforts. As an alternative, bioremediation has been resorted to. This study evaluated the potentials of mycorrhiza, fertilizers, and the use of tolerant species in the bioremediation of a mine waste dump of Antamok, Itogon, Benguet.

Seedlings of Casuarina equisetifolia Forst., Alnus maritima Marsh Nutt., and Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn. were raised in the nursery and subjected to mycorrhizal inoculation treatments. These seedlings were planted in the mine spoil and were further subjected to four fertilizer treatments: 120 g compost, 0 g NPK, 5g NPK, and 20g NPK. Two months after treatment application, height and diameter increments were measured every month. Other parameters measured included survival, biomass, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, cadmium, chromium, manganese, and iron uptake eight months after field planting.

Results showed that except for Alnus, seedlings planted in mine spoil responded positively to mycorrhiza. Likewise, Agoho and eucalyptus responded positively to application of 20 g NPK. Both nutrient uptake and heavy metal uptake indicated the positive role of mycorrhiza and fertilizers in increasing plant tolerance to nutritional imbalance and heavy metal toxicity.