Varietal differences in Zinnia hybrida for remediation in oil contaminated soil

In this study our goal was to select the variety of Z. hybrida that shows the best growth in oil contaminated soils and the highest remediation of contaminated soil. We chose 'Profusion White', 'Profusion Cherry' and 'Profusion Orange' in Z. hybrida cultivars and cultivated the plants under 18,597 mg diesel/Kg soil condition. The dry weights of shoot and root of 'Profusion White' were more than 'Profusion Cherry' and 'Profusion Orange'. Soil total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) concentration decreased in all three varieties throughout the study period and no significant differences could be observed among the varieties. Dead cells of plant roots and rotten roots after plant death are nutrient sources for microorganism in soil. We propose that 'Profusion White', whose root growth was the greatest among the three varieties, is the best suitable variety for the remediation of oil-contaminated soil under the initial soil TPH concentration of 20,000 mg/kg. Keywords: oil-contaminated soil, phyto remediation, varietal differences, zinnia hybrid