Response of African Yam Bean to Charcoal and Calcium Chloride Treatment in a Crude Oil Polluted Soil

Abstract

The Response of African Yam Bean to charcoal and calcium chloride treatment in a crude oil polluted soil was carried out. 10kg of soil was polluted with 600ml of crude oil and was remediated with 500g of charcoal; the germinated seeds were pre-treated with 25g/l of Calcium chloride for 15mins before it was sown. The different treatments were: Control, 6% pollution, 6% pollution and charcoal, Charcoal only, Pre-treatment with calcium chloride, Pre-treatment with calcium chloride and 6% pollution, Pre-treatment with calcium chloride and 6% pollution and charcoal, Pre-treatment with calcium chloride and charcoal. Results showed that crude oil pollution impacted negatively on the parameters studied, the addition of materials (Charcoal and Calcium chloride) to the crude oil polluted soil improved the growth of African yam bean. Calcium chloride pre- treatment inhibited the emergence of AYB in a polluted soil. There was a significant difference (P>0.05) in the plant height, leave area, number of leaves, carbohydrate content, stem girth and root length, while treatments had no significant difference in the chlorophyll content and number of roots. The combined treatment (CaCl₂ + Charcoal + pollution) did not show any significant impact on the growth and biochemical parameters when compared to the single treatments therefore; Charcoal and Calcium chloride are very good biostimulants but are more effective when they are applied separately.