Phytoremediation Capacity of Forest Species to Herbicides in Two Types of Soils

Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the potential of forest species for herbicide phytoremediation. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with a randomized block design and a 2x3x3 factorial scheme, using two soils (Red-Yellow Latosol - RYL and Quartzarenic sandy soil - QN), three herbicide solutions (without herbicides/water, 2,4-D and atrazine), and three forest species (Cecropia hololeuca, Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla and Hymenea coubaril), with four replications. After the experiment, Cucumis sativus was cultivated in order to investigate possible herbicide residues in the soils. The evaluated forest species reduced atrazine and 2,4-D residues in most treatments, except for the Jatobá (Hymenaea coubaril ) cultivated in the RYL soil. Eucalyptus was the species that showed the greatest tolerance to herbicide action, demonstrating the potential for phytoremediation of atrazine and 2,4-D. Cecropia hololeuca and Hymenaea coubaril presented the greatest potential for 2,4-D and atrazine, respectively.