The objective of this study was to investigate phytoremediation ability of Brassica juncea cultivars for aluminium (Al) and fluoride (F) independently and in combination (Al + F). Out of 8 cultivars which were treated with Al, F, and (Al + F), 4 cultivars (Bio-902, Pusa-Tarak, CS-14, and Laxmi) were selected for further studies on the basis of growth parameters. These cultivars were exposed to soil (pH 5) supplemented with F (0, 25, 50, and 75 mg kg-1) and Al (0, 50, 100, and 150 mg kg-1) independently and in combination (Al + F) (0 + 0, 50 + 25, 100 + 50, and 150 + 75 mg kg-1). We found that the accumulation of F, Al, and (Al + F) was highest in the roots followed by grains, shoots, and leaves. When the plants were treated with Al or F separately, the accumulation of Al or F were less as compared to when treated in combination (Al + F). Conclusively, the results also showed that maximum tolerance index, uptake, and translocation factor for F were highest in CS-14, Al in Bio-902, and (Al+ F) in Pusa-Tarak, and were found to be the lowest in Laxmi.
Keywords: Brassica juncea; aluminium and fluoride; phytoremediation.