this ppt contains the data of vetiver grass which is used in landscape architecture, It's known as Chrysopogon zizanioides, Its a fast-growing perennial plant with extensive, dense, and deep root system and strong stems.It is a versatile non-invasive plant now widely used to address a myriad of environmental and engineering soil and water-related problems.Vetiver Grows Under Extremely Cold Conditions, Fire, Acidic Conditions, Highly Tolerant to Saline Condition, Heavy Metals Pollution.Vetiver System Works Preventing and treating contaminated water. Improving the quality of wastewater and polluted water.Wetlands

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VETIVER
LANDSCAPE

2. What is Vetiver ?
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 Vetiver is a miracle plant which grows almost every where.
 Its known as Chrysopogon zizanioides .
 Its a fast growing perennial plant with an extensive, dense
and deep root system and strong stems.
 It is a versatile non-invasive plant now widely used to
address a myriad of environmental and engineering soil
and water related problems.

3.  Plantlets are available from nurseries in polybags,
having size of 10 to 20 cm.
The initial stage of growth requires water for its
establishment,not much maintenance is required.
When grown in slanted places this act as a filter (the
upper leafy part) and soil binder (the roots which grow
to a depth of 2 meter or more) .
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4.  Planting can be done at a distance of 30 cm
preferable in zig zag fashion in multiple lines.
 The initial establishment takes place in 3 months.
 During rains the clustered leaf prevents flowing
organic wastes accumulated under it to form
humus.
 Near water bodies the grass tuft will retain the
floating impurities trapped thus increases the
organic substances in soil.
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 The roots have exceptional mechanical and anchoring
property which equalises a concrete barrier in
strength in binding soil.
 Vetiver can be grown near water bodies,
- streams (the best way to retain soil near flowing water),
- vertical slopes (where other vegetation is impossible) ,
- or in water logged places where this absorbs a major
quantity of organic wastes and water .
 The landscaping feature when planted near pond is
uniform as this plant is competitive in nature and
the roots and leaf are so closely packed.

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 The oil can be extracted from its roots in 18 to 24 months.
 Propagation is vegetative- many plantlets generated from
the lower tuft of plants which can be separated and planted.

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9. Distribution of heavy metals
in vetiver plant
The distribution of heavy metals in vetiver can be
divided into three groups:
 Zn was almost evenly distributed between shoot
and root (40%).
 Small amounts of As, Cd, Cr and Hg absorbed were
translocated to shoots (1%-5%).
 Moderate amounts of Cu, Pb, Ni and Se were
translocated to the top (16%-33%) (Truong, 2004).
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10. Roots
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 Improve soil sheer strength by 45%.
 Vetiver grass has a massive, deep, fast-
growing root system capable of reaching
3.6m deep in 12 months in good soil.
 Its deep roots ensure great tolerance to
drought, allow excellent infiltration of
soil moisture, penetrate compacted
soil layers (hard pans), thus enhancing
deep drainage.

11. Roots
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 The roots are very fine, with average
dia 0.5-1.0mm .
 Interlocking and dense root matrix
create dense and strong underground
reinforcing soil conditions.
 This provides the growth and
multiplication of bacterial and fungal,
thus enabling absorption of
contaminants and the process of
breakdown such as nitrification.

12. Shoots
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 Perennial tufted grass, that can grow up to 3 m tall.
 Dissipate wind and water energy.
 Slow down water flow .
Withstand high velocity flows of 5m/sec .
 Control and spreads water run off .
 Trap sediments .
 Increases water infiltration and retention .
 Recharge groundwater .
Create dense hedges when planted close together .

13.  Flower but does not produce seeds, which means it is
sterile = no weed potential = non-invasive .
 When planted close together they form a living porous
barrier that retards water flow and acts as an effective
bio-filter, trapping both fine and coarse sediment, and
even rocks in runoff water.
 Vetiver has an unusual leaf and shoot architecture.
 Vetiver has a V shaped leaf with a prominent mid rib,
which can control the opening /closing of the leaf blades.
 Under moist or wet conditions, the leaves open up,
resulting in higher transpiration rate.
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14.  But under dry conditions, the leaves close up resulting
in lower transpiration rate to conserve moisture.
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15.  The stiff and erect shoots form a dense funnel
shape canopy with leaf angles varying between 45° -135°.
 This shoot architecture has several important
implications: the longer sunlight interception
of individual leaves, from both sides of the
individual leaf, exposing most of the leaves
simultaneously to sunlight, with minimal
shading of leaves within the canopy as
most other plants.
 Vetiver are exposed to sunlight over a longer time for
photosynthesis, leading to better growth.
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16. Vetiver Growth and Biomass
Vetiver under good management produce massive biomass,
100t/ha under field conditions.
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Potential dry matter yield of three grasses over time

17. Vetiver Grows Under
Extremely Adverse Conditions
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<-Arid tropical
On beach sands->
In water ->
<-Heavy black
cotton soil

18. Vetiver Grows Under
Extremely Cold Conditions
 Vetiver can survive temp as low as minus – 12ºC (10ºF).
 Summer heat is often at 43+ºC (110+ºF) or higher
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- Vetiver was covered by
35cm of snow for 4 days
and fully recovered in
spring in Jordan
California’s Mojave Desert -

19. Vetiver Is Fire Proof
 Soil is a very good insulator, as Vetiver buds are underground,
they are not affected by fire.
 Crown grows below the surface, to protect itself from fire,
grazing and trampling
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20. Vetiver Grows Under
Extremely Acidic Conditions
• Vetiver thrives at soil pH=3.8 and Aluminium Saturation
% of 68% and 87% under field conditions
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21. Vetiver is Highly Tolerant to
Saline Conditions
 Vetiver can survive at soil salinity level of Ecse =
47.5 dSm-1 under dryland salinity conditions
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Half sea water

22. Vetiver Is Highly Tolerant To
Heavy Metals Pollution
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Toxic threshold for Mn: 578mg/kg Toxic threshold for Zn750mg/kg
Toxic threshold for Pb: > 1 000mg/kg
Toxic threshold for As: up to 250mg/kg

23. Threshold levels of heavy metals:
Vetiver and other plants
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24. How The Vetiver System Works
Preventing and treating contaminated water:
• Eliminating or reducing the volume of wastewater.
• Improving the quality of wastewater and polluted water.
Preventing and treating contaminated land:
• Controlling off site pollution.
• Phytoremediation contaminated land.
• Trapping eroded materials and trash in runoff water.
• Absorbing heavy metals and other pollutants.
• Treating nutrients and other pollutants in wastewater and
leachate.
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25. Disposal of landfill leachate
• Its a large problem in major cities, since it is
usually highly contaminated with heavy metals,
as well as organic and inorganic pollutants.
• Leachate collected at the bottom of the dumps
to irrigate vetiver.
• Planting 3.5ha of vetiver effectively disposed of
4 ML of leachate a month in summer and 2 ML
a month in winter.
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26. Wetlands
• Natural and constructed wetlands effectively reduce
the amount of contaminants in runoff from both
agricultural and industrial lands.
• Using wetlands to remove pollutants requires the
use of a complex variety of biological processes,
including microbiological transformations and
physio-chemical processes such as adsorption,
precipitation or sedimentation, plants such as Iris
pseudacorus, Typha spp, Schoenoplectus validus,
and Phragmites australis.
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28. Nickel mine in the Philippines - Vetiver and coir matting
used to protect this slope covering 2 ha.
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Mine rehabilitation

29. THANK YOU
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