Influence of Cadmium on Paprika Chilli (Capsicum annum) and its Detoxification by Organic Amendments

Abstract

A pot culture experiment was conducted in Dept of Soil Science & Agriculture Chemistry during 2010 to study the effect of farm yard manure (FYM) and poultry manure (PM) on detoxification of Cadmium in alfisol with Capsicum annum (cv. Kt-PI-19) as a test crop. The experiment was carried out with 24 treatment combinations (eight levels of Cd 0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, 40.0, 80.0 and 160.0 mg kg -1 soil and three levels of organic manure; (control, FYM and PM @ 5 t ha-1 ) with three replications in split plot design. With the application of organic matter, dry matter yield was increased at different levels of Cd application (5.97 to 17.2 g pot -1 in FYM and 5.34 to 17.63 g pot -1 in PM treatment, respectively). Cd content in shoot was 2.1 ppm in control and increased to 209.90 ppm at 160 ppm of Cd application. The Cd content was 2.6 and 4.3 ppm in FYM and PM treatment and increased to 133.60 and 111.4 ppm, respectively with the application of 160 ppm of Cd. The organic amendments by chelating organic complexes reduce the phytotoxicity activity which retards the availability of Cd from soil to plant. There was also detoxification of Cd content in post harvest soil samples.