JOURNAL OF DEGRADED AND MINING LANDS MANAGEMENT Volume 10, Number 1 (October 2022):3795-3802, doi:10.15243/jdmlm.2022.101.3795 ISSN: 2339-076X (p); 2502-2458 (e), www.jdmlm.ub.ac.id Open Access 3795 Research Article Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on nutrients and heavy metals uptake by Pennisetum purpureum cv Mott in phytoremediation of gold mine tailings Bela Putra 1* , Lili Warly 2 , Evitayani 2 , Bopalion Pedi Utama 1 1 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Muara Bungo, Jl. Pendidikan, Muara Bungo, Bungo 37215, Jambi, Indonesia 2 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Universitas Andalas, Jl. Unand, Limau Manis, Pauh, Padang 25175, West Sumatra, Indonesia * corresponding author: belaputramsc@gmail.com Abstract Article history: Received 6 June 2022 Accepted 13 July 2022 Published 1 October 2022 Mercury composite and cyanidation are gold mining methods that are frequently used. The mercury composite method produces tailings containing heavy metals that can harm living organisms. Utilization of tailings for the development of forage may be enhanced through arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation to increase plant resistance, absorption of macro and micronutrients, and reduce levels of metal contaminants in the tailings. This study aimed to investigate the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on nutrients and heavy metals uptake by Pennisetum purpureum cv Mott in the phytoremediation of gold mine tailings. Treatments consisted of four levels of AMF inoculation (0, 5, 10 and 15 g pot -1 ) were arranged in a completely randomized design with five replications. Each pot contained 3 kg of tailings. The results showed that the best crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, Ca, and P contents in the plant shoots was obtained by providing AMF inoculation of 15 g pot -1 . However, the treatment had no significant effect on dry weight, dry matter, and nitrogen-free extract. AMF significantly increased the uptake of heavy metals by the plant roots. The treatments did not significantly affect Pb uptake by plant roots and shoots and Hg uptake by plant shoots. AMF treatments significantly reduced the translocation factor (TF) value for Hg, bioconcentration factor (BCF) values for Cd and Pb, and removal efficiency (RE) values for Cd and Pb. AMF could effectively increase nutrient absorption in the plant shoots, reduce Cd, Hg, and Pb translocation in plant shoots, and reduce Cd, Hg, and Pb in the tailings. Keywords: bioconcentration factor mercury amalgamation translocation factor removal efficiency To cite this article: Putra, B., Warly, L., Evitayani, and Utama, B.P. 2022. Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on nutrients and heavy metals uptake by Pennisetum purpureum cv Mott. in phytoremediation of gold mine tailings. Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management 10(1):3795-3802, doi:10.15243/jdmlm. 2022.101.3795. Introduction Heavy metal pollution from ex-gold mines is hazardous for animals, plants, and humans (Wahl et al., 2010; Bae et al., 2011) and damages the ecosystem (Bundschuh et al., 2013). The results of a study conducted by Fashola et al. (2016) showed that the negative impact of mining is the contamination of soil and water with heavy metal poisoning. Community mining activities are examined from an environmental point of view; they have the potential to cause severe deforestation, land degradation, and damage to forest ecosystems (Jaelani et al., 2018). The use of Pennisetum purpureum cv Mott. associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal is an environmentally friendly phytoremediation solution that has the potential to reduce toxic activity due to