ABSTRACT
A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi Glomus aggregatum (GA) and Funneliformis mosseae (FM) on AM colonization rate, biomass, nutrient uptake, C: N: P stoichiometric and Ce uptake and transport by maize (Zea mays L.) grown in soils with different levels of Ce-contaminated (100, 500 and 1000 mg x kg(-1)). The aim was to provide basic data and technical support for the treatment of soils contaminated by rare earth elements. The results indicated that symbiotic associations were successfully established between the two isolates and maize, and the average AM colonization rate ranged from 7. 12% to 74.47%. The increasing concentration of Ce in soils significantly decreased the mycorrhizal colonization rate, biomass, nutrition contents and transport rate of Ce from root to shoot of maize, and significantly increased C: P and N: P ratios and Ce contents in shoot and root of maize. Both AM fungi inoculations promoted the growth of maize, but the promoting role of FM was more significant than that of GA in severe Ce-contaminated soils. There were no significant differences in the growth of maize between two AM fungi in mild and moderate Ce-contaminated soils. Inoculation with AM fungi significantly improved nutritional status of maize by increasing nutrient uptake and decreasing C: N: P ratios. GA was more efficient than FM in enhancing nutrient uptake in mild and moderate Ce-contaminated soils, while FM was more efficient in severe Ce-contaminated soils. Moreover, inoculation with AM fungi significantly increased Ce contents of shoot and root in mild Ce-contaminated soils, but had no significant effect on Ce contents of maize in moderate and severe Ce-contaminated soils, and promoted the transport of Ce from root to shoot. The experiment demonstrates that AM fungi can alleviate toxic effects of Ce on plants and have a potential role in the phytoremediation of soils contaminated by rare earth elements.
