Effects of municipal waste water
irrigation on availability of heavy metals and morpho-physiological
characteristics of Beta vulgaris
L.
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Anita Singh
and Madhoolika
Agrawal*
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Ecology
Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi - 221 005, India
(Received: August 08, 2009;
Revised received: December
12, 2009; Re-revised received : January 25, 2010;
Accepted: February
02, 2010)
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Abstract: In the present
study physiological, biochemical and growth characteristics of a leafy
vegetable palak (Beta vulgaris
L. var All green H1) grown in suburban areas
irrigated by wastewater were compared with those irrigated by ground water.
Continuous use of wastewater for irrigation led to the enrichment of
micronutrients including heavy metals in the soil. Wastewater irrigation
favorably affected the physiological, biochemical and growth characteristics of
plants, but biomass and yield did not differ significantly between the sites.
Uptake and translocation ratio of heavy metals were higher in plants grown at
wastewater irrigated site. Mn showed maximum uptake
followed by Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni Cr and Cd.
Plants produced more secondary metabolites and antioxidants to tolerate against
the negative impact of heavy metals at wastewater irrigated sites. Plants
produced more metabolites to compensate the toxicity of metals in the area and
thus did not enhance the yield and biomass potential. The study suggests that
plants growing in wastewater irrigated area have potentially developed the defense
strategy to combat against heavy metal toxicity.
Key words: Wastewater, Heavy metal uptake, Beta vulgaris,
Antioxidant, Growth, Photosynthesis
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