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Heavy metals are widely available in the environment due to the natural processes, industrial, anthropogenic activities and ultimately in the results contaminate the immediate environment. The presence of the heavy metals such as Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Fe and Cu in environment disturb the quality of ecosystems, soils, water, air and vegetation. The chromium metal at higher level in ecosystem is an alarming signal for both developed and developing countries. Pennisetum glaucum is an annual grass which is widely cultivated in drought, rain fed and high temperature areas. The limited amount of literature available on the impact of chromium stress on P. glaucum. This study was conducted to investigate the beneficial or harmful effect of chromium stress on seed germination and seedling growth performances of P. glaucum in in vitro conditions. The different concentration of chromium 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm was applied. In present study, the overall results suggests the variable response on the rate of seed germination percentage and plant growth of P. glaucum to chromium stress was recorded. Results showed that the chromium treatment at 25 ppm significantly (p<0.05) reduced root growth of P. glaucum. The chromium at 50 ppm level significantly decreased the rate of percentage of seed germination of P. glaucum. The seedling dry weight of P. glaucum seedling was decreased highly at 75 ppm chromium. Root / shoot ratio also decreased due to gradual increase in chromium from low (25 ppm) to higher (100 ppm) levels. Similarly, the chromium at 25 to 100 ppm gradually decreased the percentage of tolerance and seedling vigor index of P. glaucum. An effective efforts for minimize the chromium toxicity and tolerance in plants are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coke production is one of the important sources of pollution from steel industries. The effects of coke (sludge of iron and steel) on seed germination and growth of Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek, Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper and Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. were recorded. The seed germination percentage of V. radiata was increased with increase in coke concentration treatment at 25-50% as compared to control treatment in petri dish. Seedling length and root growth performance of V. radiata was also slightly increased with the increase in coke concentration treatment at 75 and 100% as compared to control. The seed germination percentage and root length of V. mungo was reduced with increase in coke concentration treatment at 25%. The obtained results showed more positive effects of coke on seed germination and seedling growth performance of V. unguiculata than V. mungo and V. radiata. Meanwhile, experiment showed decrease in seedling vigor index of V. radiata and V. mungo with the increase in concentration of coke at 100% as compared to control. A gradual increase in seedling vigor index for V. unguiculata with the increase in coke concentration was observed. The coke extracts treatment influence on the seedling tolerance indices of V. radiata, V. mungo and V. unguiculata. The better tolerance to coke treatment in all bean crops might be mainly due to some resistance potential ability of seedlings to coke concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discharge of heavy metals in the environment due to anthropogenic, industrial and automobile activities is a worldwide environmental pollution problem. Copper is widely used in different forms in fertilizer, fungicides. Industrial effluents and for the removal algal growth in ponds. In this study the toxic effects of copper (Cu) on seed germination and seedling growth of Lens culinaris were investigated. Germination rate of L. culinaris that showed that increased in concentration of copper treatment at 25 ppm significantly (p<0.05) reduced germination percentage as compared to control. Seedling growth variables i.e. root and shoot length, seedling size and root/shoot ratio also declined significantly (p<0.05) with the treatment of copper at 25 ppm as compared to control. Seedlings dry weight of L. culinaris gradually reduced with increased in all treatment of copper concentration as compared to control. Tolerance indices and seedling vigor index of L. culinaris also decreased with increase in concentration of copper treatment. Low percentage of reduction in tolerance indices and seedling vigor index of L. culinaris was recorded at 25 ppm copper treatment as compared to control. A high percentage of reduction in seedling tolerance indices of L. culinaris was recorded at 100 ppm of copper treatment as compared to control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automobile exhaust emission showed toxic effects on seed germination and seedling growth of Cassia siamea. Germination and growth of C. siamea seeds was significantly (p<0.05) affected in seeds collected from M. A. Jinnah Road, Sharah-e-Faisal, Nazimabad, and Gulshan-e-Iqbal as compared to University campus. The seeds of C. siamea collected from the Karachi University campus, which is considered as control site showed better percentage of seed germination and seedling growth as compared to the seeds of the same species collected from the city area. Higher percentage of decrease in seed germination was found for seeds collected from M. A. Jinnah road, followed by Shahrah-e-Faisal, Nazimabad, and Gulshan-e-Iqbal as compared to control. Seedling length and root length was also highly decreased for seeds of same species collected from M. A. Jinnah road as compared to control. High percentage of decrease in seedling dry weight was found for seeds of same species collected from M.A. Jinnah road, followed by Shahrah-e-Faisal, Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal as compared to control. According to tolerance test it was observed that seedling growth of C. siamea showed lowest percentage of tolerance in samples collected from M. A. Jinnah Road followed by Sharah-e-Faisal, Nazimabad and Gulshan-e-Iqbal as compared to Campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motor vehicle emission showed toxic effects on seed germination and seedling growth of Peltophorum pterocarpum D.C.Baker ex K.Heyne. Germination and growth of P. pterocarpumseeds were significantly (P < 0.05) affected in the seeds collected from the polluted areas as compared to the less polluted areas. A higher percentage of decrease in seed germination was found for the seeds collected from the extremely polluted area, followed by very much polluted, polluted, and a little polluted areas as compared to the unpolluted area (control). Seedling and root lengths were also highly decreased for the seeds of the same species collected from the extremely polluted area as compared to the control. A high percentage of seedling dry weight was found for the seeds of the same species collected from the extremely polluted area (62%), followed by very much polluted area (58%), polluted area (38%), and a little polluted area (28%) as compared to the control. According to the tolerance test, seedling growth of P. pterocarpum showed the lowest percentage of tolerance in the samples collected from the extremely polluted area (53%), followed by very much polluted area (71%), polluted area (89%), and a little polluted area (92%) as compared to the campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]