The Growth and Development of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Under petrol and diesel-oil polluted water irrigation.

摘要

The growth and development of Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Ife Brown under petrol and diesel oil-polluted water irrigation were investigated. The polluted water from petroleum tankers depot at Ijora-Lagos, Nigeria had significant high levels of copper, lead and cadmium (p=0.05), which are metals prominent in oil spillage environment. The seeds were sown in soil irrigated with oil-polluted water and tap water (control). The seeds in both conditions germinated at the same time and rate. The heights of plants treated with the polluted water were significantly higher (p=0.05) than those of the control plants but the former plants had little or no sprawl. There was significant (p=0.05) increase in the growth of treated plants in terms of total area and dry weight during vegetative stage but the growth of the plants decreased significantly (p=0.05) during flowering stage due to early leaf senescence. Copper, lead and cadmium accumulated at significant higher (p=0.05) levels in the leaves of treated plants. Two of the treated plants that tried flowering shed the buds without opening unlike the control that flowered and produced pods. Aside from establishing the fact that the water is polluted by petrol and diesel oil spillage, an overflow of the polluted water on plant vegetation over time would endanger the growth and development of plants.