Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

GROWTH AND PHOSPHORUS UPTAKE AND NICKEL ACCUMULA- TION IN AM INOCULATED DALBERGIA SISSOO UNDER NICKEL STRESSED CONDITION

Manoj Tiwari

Abstract

Toxicity of nickel on growth and phosphorus concentration in AM inoculated D. sissoo was studied at three different levels of each nickel and phosphorus in sand culture. Nickel at 5.0 m mole in nutrient solution is found to be toxic and cause stunting reduced biomass accumulation and leaf chlorosis. Out of the total nickel absorbed larger fraction was retained in root portion, making it more sensitive to nickel toxicity. Apart from having positive effect on dry wt. of root and shoot, increasing phosphorus concentration has increased nickel uptake by seedlings, roots having higher accumulation than shoot. AM has increased phosphorus uptake but highest at lowest phosphorus concentration in nutrient solution. It also help in increasing uptake of nickel from growth medium and not on translocation to the shoot. The presence of AM fungi is found to be protective to the D. sissoo seedlings. Among all three factors, phosphorus has relatively lower effect on nickel concentration in root and shoot tissues as compared to effect of AM and nickel treatments.