H.K. SINGH AND A.N. MAURY
Abstract
Spinach is a common vegetable plant cultivated throughout the year in the agricultural farms and kitchen gardens as vell for its fleshy, green leaves. It is also grown in areas of coal-smoke pollution along the thermal power stations. The coal-smoke pollutants caused considerable damage to the vegetable matter which showed reduction to the extent of 66.9%. Ameliorative effects of the growth hormone doses of GA H, (2 ppm), H, (5 ppm), H, (10 ppm) and H4 (20 ppm) and IAA : Hi (5 ppm), H, (10 ppm), H, (25 ppm), H, (50 ppm) on the vegetable yield and the nutrient content of phosphorus and potassium were studied. Phosphorus in the vegetable matter under GA and IAA was mobilized, to significantly lower extent at UPS as compared to its reverse trend recorded at PS with non-significantly higher values. H, of GA was the only treatment that exhibited significant increase in P (0.411%) over the control (0.311%). Potassium in the spinach shoot, in contrast to phosphorus, showed significantly higher contents, 5.8% (P=5) at H3 and 6.4% (P>50) at H4 of GA over 3.95% of the control. IAA was equally effective on the mobilization of the nutrient. The mobilization of the organic food (photosynthates) along with K reached to their highest levels Le. 187.9% and 62% respectively, both at H4 of GA. P mobilization got hampered under the two hormones at UPS. But it was significantly enhanced to 32.1% in HI dose of GA-applied plants at PS. This study, therefore, reveals that vegetable yield and nutrient content, particularly K in GA and IAA-applied plants, can be safely harvested at enhanced levels under the ambient atmospheric environment at PS facing considerable levels of air pollutants.