Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF FLYASH ON THE GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND METAL IONS UPTAKE BY BR AD BEAN (VICIA FABA) AND CHILLI (CAPSICUM FRUTESCANS) PLANTS

Samiullah Khan and Rakesh Kumar Bhardwaj

Abstract

A green house experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of flyash (FA) on the growth, development and metal ions uptake by Board bean (Vicia faba) and Chilli (Capsicum frutescens) plants.The results indicated that the lower doses of FA upto I 5 gm Kg-' soil had a beneficial effect with regards to growth, development and nutrient uptake by both the plants grown in FA amended soil.At higher doses beyond this dose posed a significant phytotoxic effect with the increasing concentration of FA.The phytotoxic behaviour at higher levels of FA was due to the hindrance posed by toxic heavy metals such as Cr. Pb, Cd and Ni in their higher uptake by both the plants resulting an inhibitory trend in the utilization of nutrient metal cations such as Ca, Mg, Na, K, Mn, Cu, Fe and Co through out the entire range of study.