Evaluation of Ecophysiological Indices of Colocasia esculenta L. Schott along Elebere-Emeyal-Otuoke Road in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Eco-physiological parameters of Colocasia esculenta Schott was examined along Elebere-Emeyal-Otuoke road in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Plant (leaf of Colocasia esculenta) and soil samples were randomly collected from the road side and remote area in the study area. Five (5) sampling units were randomly choosen along the road side (L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5) while a corresponding five (5) sampling units were randomly choosen at the remote area (P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5) in the study area. Leaf of test crop and soil samples were collected at 15m away from the express road for L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 sampling locations, while those for remote area, P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5 sampling locations were collected at 15km from the express road. Five replicates were maintained for each treatment using randomized complete block design. The pH values of experimental soils were more acidic at the road side than the remote area sampling locations. The soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, magnesium and potassium were significantly (p < 0.05) higher at the remote area than the road side sampling locations. In addition, the heavy metal (zinc, copper, cadmium, iron and lead) contents in soils at the road side were comparatively higher than those at the remote area sampling locations. This study suggests that appropriate pollution management measures should be employed in handling and disposal of contaminated materials at construction sites around cultivated lands.

NUTRITIONAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF Jatropha tanjorensis Ellis & Saroja UNDER VARIED SOIL CONDITIONS.

“…This low nutrient composition in L2 location relative to L1 may be attributed to poor topography terrains that characterized the soil of L2 sampling location, together with environmental problems such as flooding and intense riverine setting of the habitat [4]. Eco-physiological influenced changes in plants elemental composition have been reported [32,33].…”

“…Environmental disturbances resulting from mining and road construction activities also contribute to changes in soil quality [ 3 ], and in consequence affect the elemental composition in plants [4 ]. Climatic change has been reported to have a great influence on the life cycle, distribution and phytochemical composition of the world's vegetation [5 ].…”