Growth and physiological response of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf.) under different levels of fly ash-amended soil

• Published in: International journal of phytoremediation Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 538 - 544
• Main Authors: Panda, Debabrata, Panda, Dibyajyoti, Padhan, Bandana, Biswas, Meghali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Ltd 12-05-2018
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Ascorbic acid; Biodegradation, Environmental; Coal Ash; Conductance; Cymbopogon; Cymbopogon citratus; Environmental management; Fly ash; Guaiacol; L-Ascorbate peroxidase; Leaves; Low level; Metals; Parameters; Peroxidase; Photosynthesis; Photosystem II; Phytoremediation; Plant biomass; Plant growth; Resistance; Revegetation; Soil; Soil amendment; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soils; Stomata; Stomatal conductance; Superoxide dismutase; Washington DC; United States > US; Antioxidants; Chlorophyll fluorescence; Fly ash; Lemongrass; Photosynthesis; Phytoremediation
• ISSN: 1522-6514; 1549-7879
• DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2017.1393394

Revegetation with metal tolerant plants for management of fly ash deposits is an important environmental perspective nowadays. Growth performance, photosynthesis, and antioxidant defense of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf.) were evaluated under various combination of fly ash amended with garden soil in order to assess its fly ash tolerance potential. Under low level of fly ash (25%) amended soil, the plant growth parameters such as shoot, root, and total plant biomass as well as metal tolerance index were increased compared to the control plants grown on garden soil, followed by decline under higher concentration of fly ash (50%, 75% and 100%). In addition, leaf photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and photosystem (PS) II activity were not significantly changed under low level of fly ash (25%) amended soil compared to the garden soil but these parameters were significantly decreased further with increase of fly ash concentrations. Furthermore, increase of activities of some antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase over control were noticed in lemongrass under all fly ash treatments. Taken together, the study suggests that lemongrass can be used for phytoremediation of fly ash at 25% amended soil.