Toxicity of diesel fuel towards plant seeds as reflected by seed germination outcomes, sprout length and fresh weight

摘要: Tolerance of various plant seeds to different concentrations of diesel has been investigated. A noticeable decline in Cochorus olitorius seed germination of 57.7-76.9% was shown at 100 mg kg diesel 1 or higher. However, seeds of Hordeum spontaneum, Triticum aestivum and Atriplex halimus showed a decline of less than 30% at 100 mg kg diesel or higher with 11.1, 20 and 29.4% decline at 5000 mg kg, respectively. 1 1 The effect of different diesel concentrations was also reflected on the length and fresh weight of sprouts of the tested plants with severe decline (> 50%) of C. olitorius sprouts' length and weight at 5000 mg/kg diesel as compared to the most resistant plant sprouts (T. aestivum) that showed< 15% decline of both sprouts' length and fersh weight. It appears that the local seed plants (H. spontaneum, T. aestivum and A. halimus) have the ability to germinate with 60% or more at 5000 mg kg diesel. Careful selection of plant species to be used 1 at a particular polluted site should be cautiously approached based on the actual soil and climate conditions and other characteristics of the site.