Journal of Environmental Biology

Assessing phytotoxic limits of

nickel in intensively cultivated alluvial soils

M. Barman and S.P. Datta*

Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: spdatta.manish@gmail.com

Key words

Alluvial soil

Critical limit

Nickel

Phytotoxicity

Soybean 

Publication Data

Paper received : 03.12.2016

Revised received : 12.05.2017

Re-revised received : 22.07.2017

Accepted : 28.09.2017

Abstract

Aim: Studies on nickel pollution in soil have been mostly confined to its determination in soils receiving sewage sludge and industrial effluents and no systematic effort has been made to work out its phytotoxic limits in soil and plant. Hence, an attempt was made to establish the phytotoxic limit of Ni in alluvial soils and? soybean plant. 

Methodology: A greenhouse experiment was carried out with fifteen bulk surface (0-15 cm) soil samples. These samples were collected from cultivated fields receiving irrigation through fresh water, sewage and industrial effluents. Nickel was applied @ 0, 5, 50 and 100 mg kg^-1 as NiSO₄. 6H₂O. Soybean plants grew up to flowering stage. Post harvest soil samples were extracted with DTPA and plant samples were digested with di-acid. Nickel content in the extract was measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometer.

Results: On an average, dry matter yield of soybean was reduced by 1.56, 17.9 and 29.2% at 5, 50 and 100 mg kg^-1 of applied Ni, respectively, over control due to phyotoxicity. ?       

Interpretation: Phytotoxic limits of DTPA extractable Ni in soil and total Ni content in plant were computed as 3.24 and 12.0 mg kg^-1, respectively.

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