The protection of peat on alfalfa roots for phytoremediation of diesel fuel contaminated soil
泥炭保护紫花苜蓿根系对柴油污染土壤修复的研究

The growth of plant roots and the rapid propagation of rhizosphere microorganisms play important roles on phytoremediation of the contaminated soil. It is an effective method to construct a protection zone around roots, supplying a well growing space for roots and microbial community in the contaminated soil. A potted experiment was conducted to investigate the effect on alfalfa growth, root morphology, and the degradation of diesel fuel by two culture methods: transplant after peat protecting roots and direct seeding. The results showed that the protection of peat on roots improved the morphological characteristic of roots and the propagation of rhizosphere microorganisms, enhanced the rate of the degradation of diesel fuel in the contaminated soil around roots.