3.1. Plant development
Development of inoculated and non-inoculated P. pinaster seedlings,
measured as height, shoot and root dry weight, in contaminated
and control soils is shown in Fig. 1. Both inoculation and Cd concentration
in the soil significantly affected all parameters of plant development.
Inoculation had contrasting effects in the development of
plants growing in non-contaminated soil; while inoculation with S.
bovinus significantly enhanced all growth traits, R. roseolus promoted
a decrease in the above ground parameters. The presence of Cd in the
soil induced an overall decrease in the development of P. pinaster
seedlings. However, S. bovinus still significantly promoted plant
growth. Development of non-inoculated plants and of those inoculated
with S. bovinus was not affected when Cd concentration increased
from 15 to 30 mg Cd kg−1. Seedlings inoculated with R. roseolus,
however, showed a significant growth decrease when Cd concentration
increased from 15 to 30 mg Cd kg−1.