Screening of Heavy Metal Tolerant Jute Seeds by Germination Test

Abstract

Present study was the part of an ongoing green plant based contaminated soil remediation technology. The experiment was conducted in two phases. The 1st phase of the experiment was carried out in the laboratory of the department of Agricultural Chemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensing with a view to screening different varieties of jute seeds against the single and combined toxicity of heavy metals viz. As, Pb, Cd by germination test to select heavy metal tolerant jute seeds. Initially 10 treatments were considered viz. 0.5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50, 70, 100 and 150 ppm for As, Pb, Cd separately and in combination with As, Cd and Pb. The increased levels of heavy metals significantly decreased the germination percentage, seedling height, shoot and root length, fresh and dry weightof five jute varieties. Among five varieties height germination percentage seedling height, shoot and root length, fresh and dry weight were observed with BINA deshi pat-2 but the seedlings survived up to100 ppm single and combined doses of As, Cd and Pb. Germination and seedlingvigor of other four varieties were much less resistance of heavy metal treatments. After screening, BINA deshi pat-2 was used as a phytoremediant in the second phase of bioremediation process which such carried out in the net house from October 2009 onwards. Other two varieties namely BADC deshi pat (CVL-1) and atom pat-38 were selected from experiment conducted by other researcher. In the 2nd phase number of treatments were reduced to six from ten such as 0, 15, 40, 70, 100 and 150ppm single treatments of the experiment revealed that, seeds of the three varieties germinated in toxic soil environment but their primary growth was not satisfactory. Reasons behind the stunted growth might be due to off-season and unfavorable environmental condition. But our idea was to grow jute in successive seasons in a year. BINA deshi pat-2 though photosensitive variety but in pot trial in off season from October, 2009 onwards failed to grow at minimum height not only at toxic condition but also in non toxic soil i.e. in control treatment.