{"id":{"repo_id":"catania","oai_identifier":"oai:www.iris.unict.it:20.500.11769/587106"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/catania/oai:www.iris.unict.it:20.500.11769/587106","repository":{"repo_id":"catania","name":"Università degli Studi di Catania","base_url":"https://www.iris.unict.it/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Adaptability, Biomass Yield, and Phytoremediation of Arundo donax L. on marginal lands: salt, dry and lead-contaminated soils","abstract":"Water shortage, especially during spring and summer seasons, is the main limiting factor the crop production (Araus et al, 2002; Passioura, 1977), moreover, in the Mediterranean area, inadequate irrigation practices may also exacerbate the problem of the soil salinity. The pollution of soils due to accumulation of heavy metals is a global problem that may involve the loss of agricultural areas: contaminated land is no longer suited to farming, and may be especially harmful to the entire ecosystem (Alloway, 1995). Plants tolerant to heavy metals, may be used to enhance sites unsuitable for biomass production, restoring the ecosystem services and providing valuable feedstocks to biorefineries, in a phytoremediation process. Among the perennial species for energy purpose, Arundo donax L. could be a suitable species for marginal lands including dry areas, salt and lead contaminated soil in the Mediterranean environment. On the basis of these premises the following research lines were carried out with the aim of assess the possibility of cultivate Arundo donax L. on dry, salt and lead contaminated marginal lands: - Line 1: Giant reed screening to salinity levels - Line 2: Response of Arundo donax L. clones at increasing levels of salinity and at different soil water content - Line 3: Phytoremediation of Arundo donax L. in lead-contaminated soils with different water levels of the soil - Line 4: Phytoremediation of different Arundo donax L. clones in lead-contaminated soils The effect of NaCl concentration in the soil induced by irrigation, influenced the morphology and physiology of the studied clones. The results showed that under conditions of salt and water stress all the physiological parameters were affected and plants growth, aboveground dry biomass yield were reduced. Giant reed was able to grow with irrigation water up to 12 dS m-1. However, if this parameter would be considered to classify a soil as marginal, it is clear that marginal land would be obtained marginal yields. Although the Arundo plants are not hyperaccumulators, high phytoextraction yields can be achieved in contaminated soils, due to a conjugation of phytotolerance and high yields. This allows us to consider that Arundo can be more efficient than certain hyperaccumulator plants but with very low yields. On the other hand, the viable growth of Arundo in contaminated soil and subsequent soil revegetation, ensures the long term stability of the surface, reducing the leachates, the amount of potentially toxic elements released into watercourses and groundwater and the development of a vegetative landscape or ecosystem in harmony with the surrounding environment.","abstract_html":"Water shortage, especially during spring and summer seasons, is the main limiting factor the crop production (Araus et al, 2002; Passioura, 1977), moreover, in the Mediterranean area, inadequate irrigation practices may also exacerbate the problem of the soil salinity. The pollution of soils due to accumulation of heavy metals is a global problem that may involve the loss of agricultural areas: contaminated land is no longer suited to farming, and may be especially harmful to the entire ecosystem (Alloway, 1995). Plants tolerant to heavy metals, may be used to enhance sites unsuitable for biomass production, restoring the ecosystem services and providing valuable feedstocks to biorefineries, in a phytoremediation process. Among the perennial species for energy purpose, Arundo donax L. could be a suitable species for marginal lands including dry areas, salt and lead contaminated soil in the Mediterranean environment. On the basis of these premises the following research lines were carried out with the aim of assess the possibility of cultivate Arundo donax L. on dry, salt and lead contaminated marginal lands: - Line 1: Giant reed screening to salinity levels - Line 2: Response of Arundo donax L. clones at increasing levels of salinity and at different soil water content - Line 3: Phytoremediation of Arundo donax L. in lead-contaminated soils with different water levels of the soil - Line 4: Phytoremediation of different Arundo donax L. clones in lead-contaminated soils The effect of NaCl concentration in the soil induced by irrigation, influenced the morphology and physiology of the studied clones. The results showed that under conditions of salt and water stress all the physiological parameters were affected and plants growth, aboveground dry biomass yield were reduced. Giant reed was able to grow with irrigation water up to 12 dS m-1. However, if this parameter would be considered to classify a soil as marginal, it is clear that marginal land would be obtained marginal yields. Although the Arundo plants are not hyperaccumulators, high phytoextraction yields can be achieved in contaminated soils, due to a conjugation of phytotolerance and high yields. This allows us to consider that Arundo can be more efficient than certain hyperaccumulator plants but with very low yields. On the other hand, the viable growth of Arundo in contaminated soil and subsequent soil revegetation, ensures the long term stability of the surface, reducing the leachates, the amount of potentially toxic elements released into watercourses and groundwater and the development of a vegetative landscape or ecosystem in harmony with the surrounding environment.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["SIDELLA, SARAH"],"institution":"Università degli studi di Catania","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["COSENTINO, Salvatore","ROMANO, Daniela Maura Maria"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-12-10","date_published":"2013-12-10","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:35:10Z","subjects":["Arundo donax L.","Giant reed","Marginal land","Phytoremediation","Stress"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":["info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess","license:PUBBLICO - Pubblico con Copyright","license uri:iris.PUB02"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/587106","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Sidella, Sarah","COSENTINO, Salvatore","ROMANO, Daniela Maura Maria"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["SIDELLA, SARAH"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2013-12-10"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Università degli studi di Catania","place:Catania"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Arundo donax L.","Giant reed","Marginal land","Phytoremediation","Stress"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess","license:PUBBLICO - Pubblico con Copyright","license uri:iris.PUB02"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/587106"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Water shortage, especially during spring and summer seasons, is the main limiting factor the crop production (Araus et al, 2002; Passioura, 1977), moreover, in the Mediterranean area, inadequate irrigation practices may also exacerbate the problem of the soil salinity. The pollution of soils due to accumulation of heavy metals is a global problem that may involve the loss of agricultural areas: contaminated land is no longer suited to farming, and may be especially harmful to the entire ecosystem (Alloway, 1995). Plants tolerant to heavy metals, may be used to enhance sites unsuitable for biomass production, restoring the ecosystem services and providing valuable feedstocks to biorefineries, in a phytoremediation process. Among the perennial species for energy purpose, Arundo donax L. could be a suitable species for marginal lands including dry areas, salt and lead contaminated soil in the Mediterranean environment. On the basis of these premises the following research lines were carried out with the aim of assess the possibility of cultivate Arundo donax L. on dry, salt and lead contaminated marginal lands: - Line 1: Giant reed screening to salinity levels - Line 2: Response of Arundo donax L. clones at increasing levels of salinity and at different soil water content - Line 3: Phytoremediation of Arundo donax L. in lead-contaminated soils with different water levels of the soil - Line 4: Phytoremediation of different Arundo donax L. clones in lead-contaminated soils The effect of NaCl concentration in the soil induced by irrigation, influenced the morphology and physiology of the studied clones. The results showed that under conditions of salt and water stress all the physiological parameters were affected and plants growth, aboveground dry biomass yield were reduced. Giant reed was able to grow with irrigation water up to 12 dS m-1. However, if this parameter would be considered to classify a soil as marginal, it is clear that marginal land would be obtained marginal yields. Although the Arundo plants are not hyperaccumulators, high phytoextraction yields can be achieved in contaminated soils, due to a conjugation of phytotolerance and high yields. This allows us to consider that Arundo can be more efficient than certain hyperaccumulator plants but with very low yields. On the other hand, the viable growth of Arundo in contaminated soil and subsequent soil revegetation, ensures the long term stability of the surface, reducing the leachates, the amount of potentially toxic elements released into watercourses and groundwater and the development of a vegetative landscape or ecosystem in harmony with the surrounding environment.","La limitata disponibilità idrica, è uno dei principali fattori limitanti la produzione delle colture agrarie (Araus et al, 2002; Passioura, 1977); inoltre nell'areale mediterraneo, inadeguate pratiche irrigue possono incrementare la salinità del suolo. Tra i fattori di degradazione del suolo, l'inquinamento dei suoli dovuto ad accumulo di metalli pesanti è un problema di entità globale che comporta non solo la trasformazione di aree agricole ad aree non più vocate all'attività agricola ma soprattutto dannose per l'intero ecosistema (Alloway, 1995). In particolare, la concentrazione di piombo, è cresciuta esponenzialmente negli ultimi anni, in seguito ad un continuo incremento delle sue fonti da parte della società umana. Piante tolleranti a metalli pesanti, come la canna comune, possono essere utilizzate per valorizzare siti non idonei alla produzione alimentare, fornendo un potenziale beneficio nel riutilizzo di queste aree con la produzione di biomassa. Tra le specie perenni utilizzate per scopi energetici in ambiente Mediterraneo l Arundo donax, L., potrebbe essere una specie idonea alla coltivazione in terreni marginali come quelli aridi, salini e contaminati con piombo. Sulla base di queste premesse sono state condotte le seguenti linee di ricerca: Linea di ricerca 1: Screening di Arundo donax L. in risposta a diversi livelli di salinità del suolo. Linea di ricerca 2: Risposta di cloni di Arundo donax L. a diversi livelli di salinità e contenuti idrici del suolo. Linea di Ricerca 3: Phytoremediation di Arundo donax L. in terreni contaminati con piombo in relazione a differenti livelli idrici del suolo. Linea di ricerca 4: Phytoremediation di differenti genotipi di Arundo donax L. in suoli contaminati con piombo. I risultati ottenuti hanno evidenziato che l effetto della concentrazione salina nel suolo, indotta dall'irrigazione, ha influenzato i principali parametri morfo-biologici e fisiologici dei diversi cloni di canna comune studiati. In condizione di stress salino e idrico, la riduzione dei parametri fisiologici ha comportato una riduzione della crescita delle piante ed una conseguente riduzione della biomassa prodotta. La canna comune si è dimostrata capace di crescere fino a livelli di salinità pari a 12 dS m-1. In condizioni marginali è comunque opportuno ricordare che le rese ottenibili saranno anch'esse marginali. Nonostante l'Arundo non sia una specie iper-accumulatrice, la sua produzione di biomassa e la capacità in fito-estrazione mostrata in suoli contaminati, la rendono una specie interessante, poiché grazie alla sua attiva crescita vegetativa e alla permanente copertura del suolo che assicura, contribuisce dal punto di vista ambientale alla riduzione della lisciviazione di elementi tossici nelle falde acquifere e allo stesso tempo alla valorizzazione del paesaggio circostante."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Adaptability, Biomass Yield, and Phytoremediation of Arundo donax L. on marginal lands: salt, dry and lead-contaminated soils"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Sidella, Sarah","COSENTINO, Salvatore","ROMANO, Daniela Maura Maria"],"dc:creator":["SIDELLA, SARAH"],"dc:date":["2013-12-10"],"dc:description":["Water shortage, especially during spring and summer seasons, is the main limiting factor the crop production (Araus et al, 2002; Passioura, 1977), moreover, in the Mediterranean area, inadequate irrigation practices may also exacerbate the problem of the soil salinity. The pollution of soils due to accumulation of heavy metals is a global problem that may involve the loss of agricultural areas: contaminated land is no longer suited to farming, and may be especially harmful to the entire ecosystem (Alloway, 1995). Plants tolerant to heavy metals, may be used to enhance sites unsuitable for biomass production, restoring the ecosystem services and providing valuable feedstocks to biorefineries, in a phytoremediation process. Among the perennial species for energy purpose, Arundo donax L. could be a suitable species for marginal lands including dry areas, salt and lead contaminated soil in the Mediterranean environment. On the basis of these premises the following research lines were carried out with the aim of assess the possibility of cultivate Arundo donax L. on dry, salt and lead contaminated marginal lands: - Line 1: Giant reed screening to salinity levels - Line 2: Response of Arundo donax L. clones at increasing levels of salinity and at different soil water content - Line 3: Phytoremediation of Arundo donax L. in lead-contaminated soils with different water levels of the soil - Line 4: Phytoremediation of different Arundo donax L. clones in lead-contaminated soils The effect of NaCl concentration in the soil induced by irrigation, influenced the morphology and physiology of the studied clones. The results showed that under conditions of salt and water stress all the physiological parameters were affected and plants growth, aboveground dry biomass yield were reduced. Giant reed was able to grow with irrigation water up to 12 dS m-1. However, if this parameter would be considered to classify a soil as marginal, it is clear that marginal land would be obtained marginal yields. Although the Arundo plants are not hyperaccumulators, high phytoextraction yields can be achieved in contaminated soils, due to a conjugation of phytotolerance and high yields. This allows us to consider that Arundo can be more efficient than certain hyperaccumulator plants but with very low yields. On the other hand, the viable growth of Arundo in contaminated soil and subsequent soil revegetation, ensures the long term stability of the surface, reducing the leachates, the amount of potentially toxic elements released into watercourses and groundwater and the development of a vegetative landscape or ecosystem in harmony with the surrounding environment.","La limitata disponibilità idrica, è uno dei principali fattori limitanti la produzione delle colture agrarie (Araus et al, 2002; Passioura, 1977); inoltre nell'areale mediterraneo, inadeguate pratiche irrigue possono incrementare la salinità del suolo. Tra i fattori di degradazione del suolo, l'inquinamento dei suoli dovuto ad accumulo di metalli pesanti è un problema di entità globale che comporta non solo la trasformazione di aree agricole ad aree non più vocate all'attività agricola ma soprattutto dannose per l'intero ecosistema (Alloway, 1995). In particolare, la concentrazione di piombo, è cresciuta esponenzialmente negli ultimi anni, in seguito ad un continuo incremento delle sue fonti da parte della società umana. Piante tolleranti a metalli pesanti, come la canna comune, possono essere utilizzate per valorizzare siti non idonei alla produzione alimentare, fornendo un potenziale beneficio nel riutilizzo di queste aree con la produzione di biomassa. Tra le specie perenni utilizzate per scopi energetici in ambiente Mediterraneo l Arundo donax, L., potrebbe essere una specie idonea alla coltivazione in terreni marginali come quelli aridi, salini e contaminati con piombo. Sulla base di queste premesse sono state condotte le seguenti linee di ricerca: Linea di ricerca 1: Screening di Arundo donax L. in risposta a diversi livelli di salinità del suolo. Linea di ricerca 2: Risposta di cloni di Arundo donax L. a diversi livelli di salinità e contenuti idrici del suolo. Linea di Ricerca 3: Phytoremediation di Arundo donax L. in terreni contaminati con piombo in relazione a differenti livelli idrici del suolo. Linea di ricerca 4: Phytoremediation di differenti genotipi di Arundo donax L. in suoli contaminati con piombo. I risultati ottenuti hanno evidenziato che l effetto della concentrazione salina nel suolo, indotta dall'irrigazione, ha influenzato i principali parametri morfo-biologici e fisiologici dei diversi cloni di canna comune studiati. In condizione di stress salino e idrico, la riduzione dei parametri fisiologici ha comportato una riduzione della crescita delle piante ed una conseguente riduzione della biomassa prodotta. La canna comune si è dimostrata capace di crescere fino a livelli di salinità pari a 12 dS m-1. In condizioni marginali è comunque opportuno ricordare che le rese ottenibili saranno anch'esse marginali. Nonostante l'Arundo non sia una specie iper-accumulatrice, la sua produzione di biomassa e la capacità in fito-estrazione mostrata in suoli contaminati, la rendono una specie interessante, poiché grazie alla sua attiva crescita vegetativa e alla permanente copertura del suolo che assicura, contribuisce dal punto di vista ambientale alla riduzione della lisciviazione di elementi tossici nelle falde acquifere e allo stesso tempo alla valorizzazione del paesaggio circostante."],"dc:identifier":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/587106"],"dc:language":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["Università degli studi di Catania","place:Catania"],"dc:rights":["info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess","license:PUBBLICO - Pubblico con Copyright","license uri:iris.PUB02"],"dc:subject":["Arundo donax L.","Giant reed","Marginal land","Phytoremediation","Stress"],"dc:title":["Adaptability, Biomass Yield, and Phytoremediation of Arundo donax L. on marginal lands: salt, dry and lead-contaminated soils"],"dc:type":["info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:35:10Z"}