Giant reed is known as one of the most important energy plants as a consequence of its huge dry biomass production. It can be used for bioenergy or biopolymer production. Thus, it can replace maize and reduce the production cost of biomass and electricity. Giant reed and its products have different uses in industry. The use of giant reed as a raw material to obtain cellulose past for the production of rayon viscose and paper. Thanks to the flexible and strong of the material, giant reed can be used in the manufacture of fishing rods, brass musical instruments, canes and construction supplies. One of the most important characteristics of giant reed is that it shows strong growth capability in different soils with wide ranges of pH, salinity and high heavy metal contents and can be used for ecological remediation. Giant reed was able not only to decontaminate polluted soils with heavy metals, but also to purify the wastewater and decrease the pH and make red mud safer. Here, we review the available evidence regarding the utilization of giant reed in the field of phytoremediation and discuss the potential application of giant reed combined with advanced remediation technologies in ecological remediation.

Stomatal density (SD) and stomatal index (SI) on the abaxial flag leaf epidermis, gas exchange of flag leaves and yield of six wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars differing in drought resistance were studied in plant growth chamber. There were significant differences among cultivars in SD, SI, epidermal cell density (ED), photosynthetic rate (P n ), transpiration rate (E), instantaneous transpiration efficiency (ITE), shoot dry weight yield (Ys), grain yield (Yd) and whole growth season water use efficiency (WUE), but not in stomatal conductance (g s ). Wheat cultivars with moderate drought resistance had higher P n and Yd than cultivars with strong or weak drought resistance. SD was negatively correlated with ITE (r=−0.85) and WUE (r=−0.84), but not with P n , E and Yd. There were significant relationships between ED and Yd (r=−0.92), between SI and P n (r=0.84). These results revealed that breeding wheat cultivar only to raise drought resistance might cause yield decrease when water stress was not too severe. Wheat cultivars with lower SD might improve ITE and WUE, but P n and yield (Ys and Yd) were not influenced significantly. Greater ED was not beneficial to Yd. SI might be a criterion to use in selecting parents for producing high-yielding wheat cultivars

Photosynthetic and growth characteristics of Mosla chinensis and M. scabra were compared at three irradiances similar to shaded forest understory, forest edge, and open land. At 25 % full ambient irradiance, M. chinensis and M. scabra had similar photosynthetic characteristics, but saturation irradiance, compensation irradiance, and apparent quantum yield of M. chinensis were higher than those of M. scabra at full ambient irradiance and 70 % full ambient irradiance. At the same irradiance treatment, specific leaf area and leaf area ratio of M. chinensis were lower than those of M. scabra. Photon-saturated photosynthetic rate and water use efficiency of M. chinensis, however, were not significantly higher than those of M. scabra, and the leaf area and total biomass were lower than those of M. scabra. As a sun-acclimated plant, the not enough high photosynthetic capacity and lower biomass accumulation may cause that M. chinensis has weak capability to extend its population and hence be concomitant in the community.

Spring wheat plants were grown in pots at three CO₂ concentrations (350, 550 and 700 ppm) and three soil water levels (40, 60 and 80% of field water capacity) in field open top chambers and were infested with bird cherry-oat aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi Linnaeus). Aphid population dynamics were recorded throughout the growing season and analysis of the chemical composition of spring wheat leaves was conducted at the same time. Results showed that: (1) Aphid populations increased with raised atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. (2) The aphid populations showed different responses to different CO₂ concentrations. The population size, population growth rate and population density found under the 350 ppm CO₂ treatment was far less than those recorded under the 550 and 700 ppm CO₂ treatments. The population size, population growth rate and population density recorded under the 700 ppm CO₂ treatment was slightly higher than those recorded under the 550 ppm CO₂ treatment. (3) The effect of CO₂ concentration on the aphid population was correlated with soil water level. The highest aphid population size was achieved under the 60% soil water treatment. (4) Atmospheric CO₂ and soil moisture had significant effects on the chemical composition of the wheat leaves. (5) Aphid population size correlated positively with the concentration of leaf water content, soluble proteins, soluble carbohydrates and starch, while correlating negatively with the concentration of DIMBOA and tannin.