Miscanthus x giganteus stress tolerance and phytoremediation capacities in highly diesel contaminated soils

Second generation biofuel crop Miscanthus x giganteus (Mxg) was studied as a candidate for petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs) contaminated soil phytomanagement. The soil was polluted by diesel in wide concentration gradient up to 50 g⋅kg−1 in an ex-situ pot experiment. The contaminated soil/plant interactions were investigated using plant biometric and physiological parameters, soil physico-chemical and microbial community's characteristics. The plant parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence indicators showed an inhibitory effect of diesel contamination; however much lower than expected from previously published results. Moreover, lower PHs concentrations (5 and 10 g⋅kg−1) resulted in positive reinforcement of electron transport as a result of hormesis effect. The soil pH did not change significantly during the vegetation season. The decrease of total organic carbon was significantly lower in planted pots. Soil respiration and dehydrogenases activity increased with the increasing contamination indicating ongoing PHs biodegradation. In addition, microbial biomass estimated by phospholipid fatty acids increased only at higher PHs concentrations. Higher dehydrogenases values were obtained in planted pots compared to unplanted. PHs degradation followed the first-order kinetics and for the middle range of contamination (10–40 g⋅kg−1) significantly lower PHs half-lives were determined in planted than unplanted soil pointing on phytoremediation. Diesel degradation was in range 35–70 % according to pot variant. Results confirmed the potential of Mxg for diesel contaminated soils phytomanagement mainly in PHs concentrations up to 20 g⋅kg−1 where phytoremediation was proved, and biomass yield was reduced only by 29 %. •Faster diesel biodegradation with miscanthus at 10–40 g⋅kg−1 TPHs.•Diesel inhibitory effect on miscanthus with IC50 20 ± 12 g⋅kg−1 TPHs.•Hormesis effect on miscanthus physiology at 5–10 g⋅kg−1 TPHs.•100% miscanthus survival rate up to 50 g⋅kg−1 TPHs.