Photosynthetic Activity of Plants Cultivated in Soil Contaminated with Picloram

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of picloram on the characteristics associated with the photosynthetic activity of Brachiaria brizantha, Brachiaria decumbens, Eleusine coracana and Zea mays, considered to be species with potential to remediate soil contaminated with this herbicide. The experiment was conducted in a factorial 4 x 3 in a completely randomized design, with four replications. The first factor consisted of cultivation of the species B. brizantha, B. decumbens, E. coracana and Zea mays and the second factor of three picloram doses (0, 80 and 160 g ha(-1)) applied in preemergence. Pots were filled with 6.0 kg of soil, classified as red-yellow Hapludalf, and irrigation and herbicide application were carried out on the soil surface. One day after this application, the plant species were sown. Forty days after emergence of the plant species, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, sub-stomatal CO(2) concentration, CO(2) gradient, and photosynthetic rate were evaluated, using an infrared gas analyzer (IRGA). Ninety days after plant emergence, shoot was collected to determine shoot dry matter. Picloram residues in soil can affect the physiological variables studied but shoot dry matter was not influenced by the action of this herbicide, regardless of the doses applied, indicating tolerance of the species to picloram. Thus, prior assessment of the physiological characteristics cannot be used as an indicator of tolerance of these species to picloram.