Three consecutive years of field experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of differentroot-zone temperatures, induced by the application of mulches, on the concentration and accumulation of Cd and Pb and on
bioindicators (chlorophylls, catalase, peroxidase and cell wall fractions) indifferent organs of potato plants (roots, tubers, stems, and leaflets). Four different plastic coverswere employed (T1, transparent polyethylene; T2, white polyethylene; T3, white and black coextrudedpolyethylene, and T4, black polyethylene), using uncovered plants as the control (T0). The differenttreatments had a significant effect on the mean root-zone temperatures (T0 = 16
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C, T1 = 20
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C,T2 = 23
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C, T3 = 27
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C, and T4 = 30
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C) and induced significantly different responses in the Cdand Pb concentrations and phytoaccumulation, with T2 (23
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C) and T3 (27
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C) giving highconcentrations of Cd in the roots and low concentrations in other organs. In relation to Pb, T2 andT3 reached higher levels in the tubers and lower levels in the roots, stems, and leaves. In terms ofphytoaccumulation, the roots and tubers were the most effective organs for Cd and Pb. On theother hand, the highest values of peroxidase and catalase activities were obtained for T3. In addition,most of the carbohydrate fractions in both the roots and the tubers were highest for T3. Meanwhile,the lowest pigment values were registered for T1 (20
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C). For phytoremediation, it is necessary toascertain the relevance and control of the thermal regime of the
soil to optimize the phytoextractionof pollutant elements (Cd and Pb).Keywords:
Solanum tuberosum L.; Cd; Pb; hemicellulose; cellulose; phytoremediation