Effect of Diesel Polluted Soil on the Germination and Growth of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus Caja I..), African Yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa I..) and Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean I...)

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O. W. Nwokeocha
G. G.E. Osuagwu
A. N. Osuagwu

Abstract

The effect of diesel on germination and growth performance of Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), African Yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) and Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean) was investigated. Seeds of the plants were cultivated on soil contaminated with diesel. 5kg of the soil each was used for the experiment and treated with 50ml, 100ml, 150ml, and 200ml of diesel to obtain 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% level of contamination respectively while untreated soil (0%) served as the control. The experiment was designed using a factorial arrangement (5x3) in a completely randomized design (CRD) and replicated three times. Germination was observed as the emergence of the plumule from the soil surface. The various growth parameters measured were done two weeks after germination occurred and this continued every two weeks for eight weeks (2WAG, 4WAG, 6WAG and 8WAG). The germination results showed that the  control  C. cajan, had the highest germination rate of 1.71 and a percentage germination of 83.33 ± 11.55%, while 4% had  the lowest germination rate of 0.71 and a percentage germination of 36.67 ± 5.77% respectively. The second control, S. stenocarpa, had the highest germination rate of 1.79 and percentage germination of 76.70± 5.577%, while 4% had the lowest germination rate of 0.79 and a percentage germination of 33.33 ± 5.77% respectively. The third control  V. subterranean, had the highest germination rate of 2.00 and a percentage germination of 93.33 ± 5.77%, while 4% had the lowest germination rate of 0.86 and a percentage germination of 40.00 ± 0.00% respectively. Results of the plant height showed that the heights of the plants significantly reduced (P<0.05) at 4% pollution level as  C. cajan stood at 3.45 ± 0.25cm as at  2WAG, and  22.35 ± 1.38cm as at 8WAG;S. stenocarpa stood at 4.07 ± 0.31cm as at 2WAG, and 14.05 ± 0.40cm as at 8WAG;V. subterranean stood at2.87 ± 0.50 cm as at 2WAG, and 13.06 ± 1.06cm as at 8WAG respectively. The control with corresponding values for the control soil were 17.37 ± 0.98cm at 2WAG,and 53.93 ± 0.18cm at 8WAG for C. cajan, 13.37 ± 0.75cm at 2WAG, and 32.35 ± 0.55cm at 8WAG for S. stenocarpa, and  6.40 ± 0.43cm at 2WAG, and 34.00 ± 1.15cm for V. subterranean respectively. The number of leaves leaf area and stem girths of the plants were significantly reduced at (P<0.05) in 4% - polluted soils compared with the control (0%). From the results of this study, it was clear that diesel contamination retards the germination and growth of plants. Researches in the area of plant biotechnology should be directed at the development of varieties of these and other plants that can tolerate diesel contamination of soils.

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