Alone and Combined Application of Press Mud Compost and Fuller Earth for Abating Pb and Cd and Enhance Sorghum Growth in Polluted Soils

Abstract

The aim present work was to examined the alone and combined impact of press mud compost and fuller earth at 0.5 and 1 % dosage on immobilization of Pb and Cd in Sharafi Goth and Malir polluted soils and reduce their uptake by sorghum plant. The results revealed that sorghum dry biomass yield was observed by 41.47 and 58.8 % with press mud compost (PMC) 1 % + fuller earth (FE) 1 % in Sharafi Goth soil and in Malir polluted soils than control. The immobilization of Pb was observed by 88.0 and 93.52 % with PMC 1 % + FE 1 %, and Cd was immobilized by 90.36 with PMC 1 % + FE 1 % and 78.0 % with PMC 0.5 % + FE 0.5 % in Sharafi Goth and Malir polluted soils than control. The uptake of Pb and Cd in shoot and root by sorghum was reduced both soils with application additives. The studied amendments increased the soil chemical properties such as electrical conductivity (EC), pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic matter (O.M) and CaCO3 than control soil. The results of redundancy analysis showed that soil O.M had positive correlation with plant dry biomass, whereas EC, pH, CEC, O.M and CaCO3 showed negative correlation with Pb and Cd in soil and Pb and Cd in plant soot and root biomass. The results of present study indicated that press mud compost alone and in combined form shown positive impact on plant growth, immobilize Pb and Cd in both soils and reduced their uptake by sorghum plant. Future long-term field experiments must be carried out in multi-metals polluted soils and cultivate different genotypes.