Lead and Nickel Accumulation in Brassica juncea arawali Growing in Contaminated Soil

Brassica juncea arawali plants were exposed to 0, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/l concentrations of Lead (Pb) and Nickel (Ni). Plants were treated with control, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and salicylic acid (SA) chelant applications at Micromodel experimental site of Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi in 2009. A high level of combined metal concentrations (1600 mg/l) was taken to assess the feasibility of phytoextraction on a high-level metal contaminated soil. Plants were analyzed for growth parameters, biochemical parameters and metal accumulation. EDTA decreased all morphological parameters whereas SA stimulated them. All biochemical parameters showed declination with increasing Pb and Ni concentrations. A higher accumulation of chlorophyll, soluble sugars, soluble proteins and proline occurred in Indian mustard plants treated with SA. Pb and Ni accumulation in plants increased in a dose-response manner with increasing levels of metal treatments and time. EDTA was found to be more efficient chelant than SA for removal of Pb and Ni from contaminated soil.