Abstract

EFFECT OF HEAVY METALS IN ARACHIS HYPOGEA L (GROUNDNUT) AND ITS TREATMENT

Damera Vineeth*, Chinna. Venkateshwar and Syeda Azeem Unnisa

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present study deals with heavy metals toxicity in Arachis hypogea plant parts and its treatment by calcium hydroxide which is an annual herb plant belongs to family Fabaceace. Pot culture experiments with Arachis hypogea were conducted till productivity levels at Greenhouse of Botanical Garden, Department of Botany, Osmania University, and Hyderabad. The three treatments consist of Treatment I control without any addition of heavy metals to the soil, Treatment II - heavy metals spiked into the soil and Treatment III-1% of Calcium Hydroxide added along with heavy metals to the soil. The results revealed that when compared to treatment I-control and treatment III with Ca (OH) 2, in treatment II high concentrations of heavy metals Ni, Cd and Cr are found in root, stem, leaf and seed of Arachis hypogea. In addition, the plants grown in 1% Calcium hydroxide treated soil, reversed the growth suppression and inhibited the heavy metal toxicity in plants as evidenced by reduced heavy metals concentrations in plant parts. The study concludes that medicinal plant Arachis hypogea affected with heavy metals can be treated or remediate by using calcium hydroxide.

Keywords: the plants grown in 1% Calcium hydroxide treated soil, reversed the growth suppression and inhibited the heavy metal toxicity in plants as evidenced by reduced heavy metals concentrations in plant parts. The study concludes that medicinal plant Arachis hy