abstract background: the recovery of areas impacted by mining activities is a major challenge and requires knowledge of how the biological and biochemical processes of the soil as well as the establishment of plant species are affected by mining residue. in this work, the influence of deposition of iron mining mud and tailings on soil biochemical attributes and the initial development of tree seedlings was studied in a simulated event in the greenhouse. pots (n = 27) with natural soil (2.0 kg) received deposition (280 ml) of iron mining mud or tailings and by three-month was cultivated with urochloa decumbens. at the end of this period, part of the pots was sampled and the soil biochemical activities were evaluated. then tree seedlings (schinus terebinthifolius and eremanthus incanus) were planted and cultivated for a year, when then shoot (sdw) and roots (rdw) dry weight were evaluated. results: deposition of iron mining mud and tailings did not affect microbial biomass carbon or basal soil respiration, however both conditions reduced (p < 0.05) β-glucosidase activities by up to 30%, and the easy extractable glomalin by about 19%. in addition, the mud deposition reduced (p < 0.05) the sdw and rdw of s. terebinthifolius by about 21% and 24%, respectively. nevertheless, uruchloa decumbens and eremanthus incanus had no variation in dry weight production between treatments, so they have good ability to grow settle in soil affected by mining residue. conclusion: this study shows that the sequential planting of u. decumbens and e. incanus can be an alternative for use in environments with deposition of iron mining tailings.

RESUMO Fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) podem apresentar comportamentos distintos, quando associados à mesma espécie de planta hospedeira, sendo necessário compreender sua ecologia, visando a otimizar o seu manejo e manutenção em banco de germoplama. Objetivou-se avaliar diferentes FMA associados a Urochloa brizantha (A. Rich.) Stapf, analisando-se o tempo de estabelecimento da simbiose, multiplicação de esporos e produção de proteína do solo relacionada a glomalina. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com arranjo 6 x 5 (cinco espécies de FMA, tratamento sem inoculação e cinco épocas de avaliação). Analisaram-se o crescimento das plantas, multiplicação de esporos, colonização micorrízica e produção de glomalina. A maior multiplicação de esporos ocorreu para Acaulospora longula e A. colombiana, apresentando maior colonização micorrízica aos 76 dias. A inoculação favoreceu o crescimento das raízes de U. brizantha a partir de 15 dias, altura das plantas e massa seca das raízes aos 60 dias e massa seca da parte áerea aos 90 dias, com destaque para espécies de Acaulospora. A inoculação com A. colombiana, A. longula e Paraglomus occultum promoveu incremento de glomalina aos 120 dias. Gigaspora margarita e P. occultum não atingiram a máxima colonização e multiplicação dos esporos, indicando ser necessário um período maior que 120 dias de cultivo dos FMA.

ABSTRACT Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may exhibit distinct behaviors when associated with the same species of host plant, being necessary to understand their ecology, in order to optimize their management and maintenance in germplasm bank. This study aimed to evaluate different AMF associated with Urochloa brizantha (A. Rich.) Stapf by analyzing the symbiosis establishment time, spore multiplication and production of glomalin-related soil protein. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, in a 6 x 5 arrangement (five AMF species, non-inoculated control treatment and five evaluation times). The following aspects were analyzed: plant growth, spore multiplication, mycorrhizal colonization and glomalin production. The highest number of spores occurred for Acaulospora longula and A. colombiana, exhibiting the highest mycorrhizal colonization at 76 days. The inoculation favored the root growth of U. brizantha at 15 days of cultivation, plant height and root dry matter at 60 days and shoot dry matter at 90 days, especially for the Acaulospora species. The inoculation with A. colombiana, A. longula and Paraglomus occultum resulted in increased glomalin at 120 days. Gigaspora margarita and P. occultum did not reach the maximum colonization and spore multiplication, indicating that a period of time longer than 120 days of cultivation is necessary.

Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do uso de escória de siderurgia como corretivo da acidez do solo e de fungos micorrízicos associados à adubação fosfatada em plantas de milho. O trabalho foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, tendo-se utilizado vasos com 3 kg de Latossolo Vermelho distrófico, em arranjo fatorial 4x5x2, com quatro tratamentos corretivos da acidez (C1, correção com calcário dolomítico na dosagem de 4 Mg ha-1; C2, correção com escória de siderurgia de aciaria na dosagem de 4 Mg ha-1; C3, correção com a mistura 1:1 de 2 Mg ha-1 de calcário dolomítico e 2 Mg ha-1 de escória; e C4, controle, sem correção de pH), cinco doses de fósforo (0, 42, 95, 213 e 480 mg dm-3), e presença ou ausência de dois fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (Rhizophagus clarus e Gigaspora margarita), com cinco repetições. A escória foi eficiente em corrigir o pH do solo e fornecer Ca e Mg para as plantas; portanto, pode substituir o calcário. A inoculação com R. clarus e G. margarita, associada às doses de 42, 95 e 213 mg dm-3 de P, promoveu melhoras no desenvolvimento de plantas de milho após 45 dias, tendo resultado em maiores altura, diâmetro do colo, área foliar e matéria seca das raízes e da parte aérea das plantas.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the use of steel slag as a soil acidity corrective and of mycorrhizal fungi associated with phosphate fertilization on corn plants. The study was performed in a greenhouse, using 3-kg pots with a Typic Haplorthox, in a 4x5x2 factorial arrangement, with four acidity correction treatments (C1, correction with dolomitic limestone at a dose of 4 Mg ha-1; C2, correction with steel slag at a dose of 4 Mg ha-1; C3, correction with a 1:1 mixture of 2 Mg ha-1 dolomitic limestone and 2 Mg ha-1 steel slag; and C4, control, without pH correction), five phosphorus doses (0, 42, 95, 213, and 480 mg dm-3), and the presence or absence of two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Rhizophagus clarus and Gigaspora margarita), with five replicates. Steel slag was efficient in correcting soil pH and providing Ca and Mg for the plants; therefore, it could replace limestone. The inoculation with R. clarus and G. margarita, associated with P doses of 42, 95, and 213 mg dm-3, improved the development of corn plants after 45 days, resulting in greater plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, and shoot and root dry matter.

ABSTRACT Preliminary results of in vitro experiments with multicontaminated soils and solid media indicated that nodulating diazotrophic bacteria of the genus Cupriavidus are promising for the remediation of contaminated environments due to their symbiosis with legumes and metal tolerance. Thus, strains of Cupriavidus spp. (LMG 19424T, UFLA 01-659, UFLA 01-663, and UFLA 02-71) were tested for their ability to tolerate and bioaccumulate cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in Luria-Bertani broth. Changes in the growth pattern of Cupriavidus strains in the presence or absence of heavy metals were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and metal allocation by transmission electron microscopy, to clarify the mechanisms of bioremediation. Highest tolerance was detected for strain UFLA 01-659 (minimum inhibitory concentration of 5, 4.95, and 14.66 mmol L−1 of Cd, Cu, and Zn, respectively). Among the removal rates of the metals tested (9.0, 4.6, and 3.2 mg L−1 of Cd, Cu, and Zn, respectively), the bacterial activity was clearly highest for Cd. The efficiency of strain UFLA 01-659 in removing the heavy metals is associated with its high biomass production and/or higher contents of heavy metals adsorbed and absorbed in the biomass. In response to the presence of heavy metals in the liquid culture medium, the bacteria produced exopolysaccharides and small and aggregated cells. However, these responses varied according to the strains and heavy metals. Regarding allocation, all heavy metals were adsorbed on the cell wall and membrane, whereas complexation was observed intracellularly and only for Cu and Zn. These results indicate the possibility of using C. necator UFLA 01-659 for remediation in areas with very high Cd, Cu, and Zn contents.