Phytoextraction of Pb and Cr as influnced by Chelating agent

The screen house experiments were conducted taking two crop (viz. Zea mays as first crop and Brassica Juncea as subsequent crop) two metal (Pb @ 180 mg kg-1 soil and Cr @ 20 mg kg-1 soil) Five chelating agent (viz. CDTA CA DTPA NTA @ 10 mmol kg-1 soil in case of Zea mays and 3 mmol kg-1 soil in case of subsequent Brassica juncea and FYM @ 3%) in the sewage sludge unamended and amended (@ 3%) soil to evaluate the effects of chelating agents on phytoextraction of these metals. The dry matter yield of roots of Zea mays increased due to FYM and observed trend was CDTA<CA<DTPA and NTA in both Pb and Cr enriched soil. Dry matter yield of shoots of Zea mays increased due to CDTA and FYM whereas it decreased due to NTA CA and DTPA. In case of subsequent Brassica juncea dry matter yield yield of roots and shoots was increased due to NTA CA and FYM whereas it decreased due to CDTA and DTPA.The concentration of Pb and Cr was higher in roots as compared to shoots. Application of chelating agents increased the Pb and Cr concentration in Zea mays and Brassica juncea. But the observed trends in Zea mays was: NTA>CDTA>DTPA>CA>FYM whereas in case of Brassica juncea it was NTA>CA>CDTA>