CHARULATA SHAH AND JAISHREE SIKKA
Abstract
In this study at Indore city Madhya Pradesh, Kabirkheri was selected as study area where Sewage Treatment Plant is also situated. The plants of Lycopersicon esculentum L. Pussa early ruby, grown in pots and irrigated with UTE (untreated) and TE (treated) sewage water were analysed for heavy metal accumulation, growth and biochemical parameters at 15, 13, 45 & 60 days stages. Plants irrigated with UTE water showed a maximum increase in root length, shoot length, fresh weight of root and shoot dry weight of root and shoot in 60 days old samples as compared to those irrigated with ETP treated water and tap water. The study indicated the availability of more nutrients including nitrogen in UTE water promoting vegetative growth. Also chlorophyll content (chl-a, chl-b, total chlorophyll), carotenoids, total kjeldahl nitogen, peroxidase activity, nitrate reductase activity, leaf protein and the reproductive characteristics have been significantly increased, while a considerable decrease in anthocyanin content was observed in L. esculentum plants irrigated with UTE water. All the selected Physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals were higher at Kabirkheri indicating maximum pollution load at this site while very high accumulation of heavy metal, in root and shoot sample is suggestive of L. esculentum as hyper accumulator of Lead and Nickel.