The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of cultivation time of Panicum maximum (cv. Tanzania) on phyto-remediation of soil contaminated with picloram. The experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions from September 2006 to February 2007, using euthroferric Red Latosol samples as substrate for plant growth. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design, with four replicates, with treatments in a 4 x 3 factorial scheme. The treatments comprised twelve combinations of four periods of soil cultivation with the species Panicum maximum (cv. Tanzania) (0, 60, 80 and 100 days) and three doses of picloram (0, 80 and 160 g ha-1). At the end of each pre-established time of soil cultivation with the phyto-remediating species, seeds of tomato and soybean plants, used as bio-indicators of picloram presence, were sown on soil. The bio-indicators showed high sensitivity to picloram in soil, as their cultivation was not feasible without a prior phyto-remediation procedure. The previous cultivation of Tanzania for 60 days ensured a satisfactory initial growth of both soybean and tomato plants when the initial contamination level was lower than 80 g ha-1 of picloram. Above this dose, phyto-remediation provided by Tanzânia plants provide a lower soybean and tomato plants growth, indicating that a longer period of decontamination is required.
carryover; auxin agonists; soybean; tomato; soil decontamination; crop succession
