Role of blue green algae biofertilizer i (2)
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
Chemosphere 70 (2008) 1919–1929
www.elsevier.com/locate/chemosphere
Role of blue green algae biofertilizer in ameliorating
the nitrogen demand and fly-ash stress to the growth and yield
of rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants
R.D. Tripathi *, S. Dwivedi, M.K. Shukla, S. Mishra, S. Srivastava, R. Singh,
U.N. Rai, D.K. Gupta
Ecotoxicology and Bioremediation Group, National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 226 001, India
Received 16 March 2007; received in revised form 22 June 2007; accepted 15 July 2007
Available online 12 September 2007
Abstract
Rice is a major food crop throughout the world; however, accumulation of toxic metals and metalloids in grains in contaminated
environments is a matter of growing concern. Field experiments were conducted to analyze the growth performance, elemental
composition (Fe, Si, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cd and As) and yield of the rice plants (Oryza sativa L. cv. Saryu-52) grown under different doses
of fly-ash (FA; applied @ 10 and 100 t ha 1 denoted as FA10 and FA100, respectively) mixed with garden soil (GS) in combination with
nitrogen fertilizer (NF; applied @ 90 and 120 kg ha 1 denoted as NF90 and NF120, respectively) and blue green algae biofertilizer (BGA;
applied @ 12.5 kg ha 1 denoted as BGA12.5). Significant enhancement of growth was observed in the plants growing on amended soils as
compared to GS and best response was obtained in amendment of FA10 + NF90 + BGA12.5. Accumulation of Si, Fe, Zn and Mn was
higher than Cu, Cd, Ni and As. Arsenic accumulation was detected only in FA100 and its amendments. Inoculation of BGA12.5 caused
slight reduction in Cd, Ni and As content of plants as compared to NF120 amendment. The high levels of stress inducible non-protein
thiols (NP-SH) and cysteine in FA100 were decreased by application of NF and BGA indicating stress amelioration. Study suggests integrated use of FA, BGA and NF for improved growth, yield and mineral composition of the rice plants besides reducing the high demand
of nitrogen fertilizers.
2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: BGA biofertilizer; Fly-ash; Rice; Metal accumulation
1. Introduction
Coal based power plants generate a variety of pollutants
along with a huge quantity of fly-ash (FA) that is usually
dumped in nearby areas. According to some estimates, in
areas situated close to National Thermal Power Plant
(NTPC), Unchahar, Raebareli (UP), FA is deposited at a
rate of about 52 t km 2 month 1 while in distant areas
the rate is about 26 t km 2 month 1 (Tripathi, 2001).
Fly-ash is often used as soil amender (Sikka and Kansal,
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 0522 2205831 35x222; fax: +91 0522
2205836/39.
E-mail address: tripathi_rd@rediffmail.com (R.D. Tripathi).
0045-6535/$ - see front matter 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.07.038
1995; Gupta et al., 2002; Tripathi et al., 2004; Mittra
et al., 2005; Jala and Goyal, 2006) due to its beneficial properties. However, its usage in agriculture and agronomy sector is still limited (
Chemosphere 70 (2008) 1919–1929
www.elsevier.com/locate/chemosphere
Role of blue green algae biofertilizer in ameliorating
the nitrogen demand and fly-ash stress to the growth and yield
of rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants
R.D. Tripathi *, S. Dwivedi, M.K. Shukla, S. Mishra, S. Srivastava, R. Singh,
U.N. Rai, D.K. Gupta
Ecotoxicology and Bioremediation Group, National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 226 001, India
Received 16 March 2007; received in revised form 22 June 2007; accepted 15 July 2007
Available online 12 September 2007
Abstract
Rice is a major food crop throughout the world; however, accumulation of toxic metals and metalloids in grains in contaminated
environments is a matter of growing concern. Field experiments were conducted to analyze the growth performance, elemental
composition (Fe, Si, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni, Cd and As) and yield of the rice plants (Oryza sativa L. cv. Saryu-52) grown under different doses
of fly-ash (FA; applied @ 10 and 100 t ha 1 denoted as FA10 and FA100, respectively) mixed with garden soil (GS) in combination with
nitrogen fertilizer (NF; applied @ 90 and 120 kg ha 1 denoted as NF90 and NF120, respectively) and blue green algae biofertilizer (BGA;
applied @ 12.5 kg ha 1 denoted as BGA12.5). Significant enhancement of growth was observed in the plants growing on amended soils as
compared to GS and best response was obtained in amendment of FA10 + NF90 + BGA12.5. Accumulation of Si, Fe, Zn and Mn was
higher than Cu, Cd, Ni and As. Arsenic accumulation was detected only in FA100 and its amendments. Inoculation of BGA12.5 caused
slight reduction in Cd, Ni and As content of plants as compared to NF120 amendment. The high levels of stress inducible non-protein
thiols (NP-SH) and cysteine in FA100 were decreased by application of NF and BGA indicating stress amelioration. Study suggests integrated use of FA, BGA and NF for improved growth, yield and mineral composition of the rice plants besides reducing the high demand
of nitrogen fertilizers.
2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: BGA biofertilizer; Fly-ash; Rice; Metal accumulation
1. Introduction
Coal based power plants generate a variety of pollutants
along with a huge quantity of fly-ash (FA) that is usually
dumped in nearby areas. According to some estimates, in
areas situated close to National Thermal Power Plant
(NTPC), Unchahar, Raebareli (UP), FA is deposited at a
rate of about 52 t km 2 month 1 while in distant areas
the rate is about 26 t km 2 month 1 (Tripathi, 2001).
Fly-ash is often used as soil amender (Sikka and Kansal,
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 0522 2205831 35x222; fax: +91 0522
2205836/39.
E-mail address: tripathi_rd@rediffmail.com (R.D. Tripathi).
0045-6535/$ - see front matter 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.07.038
1995; Gupta et al., 2002; Tripathi et al., 2004; Mittra
et al., 2005; Jala and Goyal, 2006) due to its beneficial properties. However, its usage in agriculture and agronomy sector is still limited (