Assessing phytotoxic limits of nickel in intensively cultivated alluvial soils

• Published in: Journal of environmental biology Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 358 - 364
• Main Authors: Barman, M., Datta, S.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lucknow Triveni Enterprises 01.05.2018
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Alluvial soils; Atomic absorption analysis; Crop yield; Dry matter; Effluents; Environmental science; Flowering; Fresh water; Freshwater environments; Industrial effluents; Industrial pollution; Industrial wastewater; Irrigation; Irrigation water; Metabolism; Nickel; Oxidative stress; Physiology; Phytotoxicity; Plant extracts; Plants (botany); Receiving waters; Sediment pollution; Sewage sludge; Soil pollution; Soil sciences; Soybeans; Spectral analysis; Water pollution
• ISSN: 0254-8704; 2394-0379
• DOI: 10.22438/jeb/39/3/MRN-552

Studies on nickel pollution in soil have been mostly confined to its determination in soils receiving sewage sludge and industrial effluents and no systematic effort has been made to work out its phytotoxic limits in soil and plant. Hence, an attempt was made to establish the phytotoxic limit of Ni in alluvial soils and soybean plant. A greenhouse experiment was carried out with fifteen bulk surface (0-15 cm) soil samples. These samples were collected from cultivated fields receiving irrigation through fresh water, sewage and industrial effluents. Nickel was applied @ 0,5,50 and 100 mg kg-1 as NiSO4.6H2O. Soybean plants grew up to flowering stage. Post harvest soil samples were extracted with DTPA and plant samples were digested with di-acid. Nickel content in the extract was measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. On an average, dry matter yield of soybean was reduced by 1.56,17.9 and 29.2% at 5,50 and 100 mg kg-1 of applied Ni, respectively, over control due to phyotoxicity. Phytotoxic limits of DTPA extractable Ni in soil and total Ni content in plant were computed as 3.24 and 12.0 mg kg-1, respectively.