Journal of Environmental Science and Management 16(2): 74-87 (December 2013) ISSN 0119-1144 Survival, Growth and Cu Accumulation by Non-Mycorrhizal and Mycorrhizal Jatropha curcas L. Seedlings or Cuttings in a Grassland and in Mine Tailing Soils Nelly S. Aggangan 1 , Aina B. Albano 2 , Erena S. Kasahara 2 and Elena M. Ragragio 2 ABSTRACT Jatropha curcas has been identiied as an alternate source for biofuel, and thus requires immediate establishment of plantations in areas not utilized for food production such as in mine tailings sites. Screenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the survival, growth and copper (Cu) accumulation of non-mycorrhizal or mycorrhizal J. curcas seedlings or cuttings grown in oven sterilized grassland soil from Caliraya, Laguna and in mine tailing soils from Paracale, Camarines Norte and Mogpog, Marinduque. Grassland soil was sterilized in an oven for three days at 100˚C prior to use. Seedlings or cuttings were either uninoculated or inoculated with Mykovam or MineVAM mycorrhizal inoculants. Results show that Paracale soil supported the highest survival and best growth of seedlings or cuttings. In Mogpog soil, all seedlings died before two months except those inoculated with Mykovam while all cuttings died on the third month. Non-mycorrhizal seedlings did not survive in Caliraya soil while mycorrhizal inoculation increased seedling survival and growth. Cuttings did not respond to inoculation, probably due to low mycorrhizal infection (≤14 %) as compared to seedlings (≤100 %). Mykovam promoted higher survival and better plant growth than MineVAM because of its higher root colonization. Cu accumulation was higher in the roots of mycorrhizal plants and the lowest was in the leaves especially in the Mykovam-inoculated plants. In conclusion, Mykovam inoculated J. curcas grew better with higher survival rate than the control thus this imply that rehabilitation of grasslands in Caliraya, Laguna and mine tailing areas in Paracale, Camarines Norte can be done for its potential for biofuel production. However, ield trials should be conducted. Key words: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, nutrient deicient soil, heavy metal accumulation INTRODUCTION Jatropha curcas has been identiied as an alternate source for biofuel, and thus require immediate establishment of plantations (Ndong et al. 2009, Nahar and Sunny 2011). Targeted areas are the unproductive grasslands and the mine tailing areas. Mine tailings are wastes from mining activities containing considerable amount of heavy metals. For example, the mine tailings in Mogpog, Marinduque, the top (in terms of content in the soil) four heavy metals present are copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) (Raymundo et al. 2006), thus, these area are normally devoid of plants. The ability of J. curcas to tolerate such extreme environment is a basis for its potential as an agent in alleviating heavy metal pollution in mine areas (Patil 1998). Jatropa curcas is a shrub that belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae which has 300 genera and around 7,500 species (Charoenpakdee et al. 2010). It is grown in many parts of the world, for example, in Brazil, India, Mexico, Nicaragua and Thailand, mainly because of its multiple potentials for medicinal and industrial purposes such as biodiesel (Foildl et al. 1996, Heller 1996, David, Joerg and Alberte 2009). The oil extracted from the seeds is now being formulated in the Philippines as a potential pesticide, molluscide, illuminant, and most importantly, as a safer diesel fuel substitute (Solsoloy and Duldulao 2004). The hulls of its seed are pressed to form a cake believed to be a valuable source of organic manure (Heller 1996). Local people are known to utilize the remaining vegetative parts of this plant, such as its roots, barks, and leaves as medicines for a wide range of ailments (Quisumbing 1978). With all these beneits that can be derived from the different parts of J. curcas, the determination of the extent by which heavy metals such as Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn accumulation within the plant will greatly aid in the assessment of the quality and safety of these products. The establishment of J. curcas plantations will also produce an alternate source for biodiesel and restore the productivity of marginal grasslands and abandoned mine tailing sites. Unfortunately, there are no protocols available yet for J. curcas for a successful plantation establishment on grasslands and much more in mine tailing soil. Grasslands in Caliraya, Laguna contain very low concentration of essential nutrients but with high concentration of iron (Fe) (Aggangan et al. 2012). Being very acidic (with pH ranging from 4.6 to 5.1 (Orig 2004), growth of plants is stunted and exhibit nutrient deiciency symptoms (e.g. purple leaves indicating phosphorus deiciency) and toxicities (whole plant in yellow color which indicates either 1 University Researcher, National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH), University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, College, Laguna 4031. E-mail: nelly_aggangan@yahoo.com (corresponding author) 2 Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines, Manila 74