The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of Eleusine coracana cultivation period on phytoremediation of soil contaminated with picloram. The experiment was carried out at a greenhouse from September 2006 to February 2007, in 12 treatments combining four Eleusine coracana cultivation periods ((0, 60, 80 and 100 days) and three picloram rates (0, 80 and 160 g ha-1), arranged in a completely randomized design, in a factorial scheme 4 x 3, with four replicates and Eutroferric Red Latosol samples used as growth substrate. The bioindicators tomato (cultivar Santa Clara) and soybean (cultivar Monsoy 6101) were sowed at the end of the time established for the phytoremediation species to act. The bioindicators showed high sensitivity to picloram on soil, rendering impracticable the cultivation of those crops in areas contaminated with this herbicide without remediation. Prior cultivation of four Eleusine coracana for 60 days provided a satisfactory initial growth of soybean and tomato cultivated in soil that had previously received the application of up to 160 g ha-1 picloram; however; these bioindicators showed visible symptoms of herbicide intoxication.
carryover; auxin agonists; soybean; tomato; soil decontamination
