Content of Heavy Metals in the Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris Arundinacea L.) in the First Year of Harvest

One of the major factors in achieving more biofuel is the amount of crop yield, but that is not synonymous with the yield quality. Plants are contaminated by heavy metals not only through the soil, but also from atmospheric pollution. The aim of this research was to establish the amount of heavy metals in the dry matter of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.). The Marathon variety of reed canarygrass was studied with two sowing periods and four Nfertilizer rate applications. The concentration level of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and titanium (Ti) in the samples of reed canarygrass were analysed with the coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer Perkin Elmer 2100 DV. The samples of reed canarygrass taken in April had a greater concentration of As, Cd, Pb, which means that the plants absorb the heavy metals also from the snow covering. The first year yield of reed canarygrass established a fundamental negative correlation between the amount of As, Cd, Pb and the ash content. The samples taken in April have a greater heavy metal contamination, than the samples taken in October. The sowing period fundamentally affected the concentration of lead in reed canarygrass samples, but the level of N-fertilizer rate application affected the amount of cadmium and arsenic.