Adsorbent Potential of Tea Waste to Control Cadmium Toxicity on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L) Seedling Growth

ABSTRACT:

The disposal of industrial wastage without proper treatment is responsible for the lowering of crop productivity with the accumulation of essential and non essential trace metals in the land. The present research was designed to evaluate Cadmium toxicity on plant growth and to describe the remedial effect of tea wastage against Cd(II) toxicity with reference to the growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L).Application of Cd2+ decreased the wheat seedling growth along with alleviated concentration. It was dose-dependent, and significant at higher concentration of CdCl2. The result showed the inhibitory effect of Cd2+ ion on plant growth which includes reduction in shoot and root length, plant fresh and dry biomass and soluble carbohydrate and significant increase in total phenol contents as defense biomolecule against external stress. Adsorption is a promising alternative method to treat industrial effluents. Mainly because of its low cost and high metal binding capacity tea waste is one of the low cost and easily available adsorbent having strong adsorptivity towards heavy metals. The consumed tea leaves were found to be able to remove substantial amounts of Cd+2ions from aqueous solution. Thus it can be inferred that the addition of tea waste at appropriate rate may be useful approach to enhance the plant growth and to immobilize Cd2+ by depressing its bioavailability.