Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF FLY ASH ON THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SOIL AND SEED GERMINATION9 GROWTH AND METALS UPTAKE OF BARLEY AND WHEAT PLANTS

Samiullah Khan, Jamal A. Khan and Shagufta Jabin

Abstract

Pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the physiology and metals uptake of barley (Hordeum vu/gore L.) and wheat (Triticum oestivum L.) plants grown on fly ash amended soil. The beneficial effect on physiological development were noticed at lower doses of fly ash (pH 6.71) upto 30 and 20 g kg-' soil in case of barley and wheat, respectively, thereafter a phytotoxic behaviour was observed. The results of plants analysis showed an increase in the concentration of K, Mg, Fe and Zn metals upto 30 to 20 g fly ash kg-' soil thereafter, they tend to decline on increasing doses of fly ash. On the other hand, the contents of Na, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Ni, Cd and Pb uptake were found to remain enhance throughout the entire range of fly ash amendments in both plants. The variation in physico-chemical properties, due to the addition of fly ash in soil, have indicated a decrease in pH (from 8.5 to 7.95) and composition of sand and clay and increase in electrical conductivity and composition of silt and organic matter.