Gas exchange and foliage characteristics of two poplar clones grown in soil amended with industrial waste

Plants can remove or immobilize various environmental contaminants; however, little is known about the physiological mechanisms underlying responses to soil amendment with biosolids contaminated with heavy metals. We investigated the responses of cuttings of hybrid poplar clones Eridano and I-214 grown for a season in soil amended with nutrient-rich organic material from tanneries, which contains potentially toxic amounts of heavy elements. Plant growth traits, gas exchange parameters, stomatal density and leaf layer thickness of frozen-hydrated leaves, and foliar concentrations of heavy metals and nitrogen were determined. Overall, soil amendment increased net assimilation rate and growth, but the cuttings accumulated only small quantities of heavy metal soil contaminants.