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Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences Vol.2(6)pp.158 -165,September 2011
Available online Available online http://www.globalresearchjournals.org/journal/?a=journal&id=jabs
Copyright ©2011 Global Research Journals.
Full Length Research.
Effects of crude petroleum oil on the germination, growth and yield of Vigna unguiculata Walp L.
Otitoloju KEKERE, *Beckley IKHAJIAGBE and Bunmi R. APELA
Dept. of Plant Sci & Biotech, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko
*Dept. of Plant Biol. & Biotech, University of Benin, Benin City
*Corresponding author: ikhaj@yahoo.com
Accepted 5th September 2011.
| Abstract |
The present study was carried out to determine the effects of crude petroleum oil pollution on the germination, growth and yield of Vigna unguiculata. Top soil (0-10cm) of known physiochemical parameters was collected randomly from a marked area measuring 50 x 50m on a farmland situated beside Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, and sun-dried to constant weight. Thereafter, 5kg of the soil was each placed in experimental pots with 8 perforations made with 2 mm diameter nails at the bottom of each pot. Crude oil was added to soil in the pots and mixed thoroughly to obtain 4 different concentrations on weight basis: 2, 4, 8 and 16% w/w oil in soil. The unpolluted soil (0%) served as the control. Cowpea seeds were sown one week after exposure of soil to oil contamination. Germination percentage and germination rate were negatively affected by oil pollution. Oil pollution was also found to negatively affect leaf number, total leaf area, plant height, stem girth, leaf development. Significant decreases in total plant biomass as well as crop yield were observed. Crude oil pollution reduced the leaf chlorophyll content and nutritional composition of Vigna unguiculata fruit and caused an elevated level of heavy metal uptake in fruits.
Keywords: Petroleum, Pollution, Phytoassessment, Vigna unguiculata.