Fluoride Uptake and Net Primary Productivity of Selected Crops

Abstract

Crop field soil collected from Sambalpur University campus of Odisha and treated with various fluoride concentrations was used to raise selected local crops. Background concentration of total and leachable fluoride content in soil was 95.19 and 8.89 ppm respectively. At the time of harvest of the crops, the total fluoride content was found to decrease and leachable fluoride content was found to increase both in control and experimental sets. This might be due to the addition of fluoride to soil in the experimental set up as well as availability of background fluoride content in soil and the irrigated water ( i.e. 0.5 ppm). The fluoride accumulation in plant tissue increased with increase in the fluoride content in soil. Net Primary Productivity (NPP) of fluoride treated plants decreased in Brinjal by 6.64% - 56.72%, Tomato by 14.46% - 62.24% and Mung by 10.27% - 53.61%, all in 20 - 100 ppm fluoride range. However, NPP of Mustard, Ladies finger and Chili decreased by 15.58% - 61.21%, 12.28% - 52.78% and 40.8% - 90.65% in 10 - 50 ppm fluoride treated sets respectively in 10 - 50 ppm fluoride range. Maize NPP decreased by 12.17% - 61.20% in 20 - 100 ppm fluoride range as Rice NPP decreased by 6.64% - 56.72% in 20 - 100 ppm fluoride range. Pod formation was inhibited at 100 ppm fluoride amended soil in case of Mung, and 50 ppm in Ladies finger, 40 - 100 ppm in Maize and 30 - 50 ppm fluoride amended soil in case of Chilli. Thus, Maize and Chilli are more sensitive to fluoride contamination than other crops. In all the crops NPP decreased with increase in fluoride content in soil with significant decrease in highest concentration of fluoride.