Application of Heavy Metal Rich Tannery Sludge on Sustainable Growth, Yield and Metal Accumulation by Clarysage (Salvia sclarea L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effective utilization of tannery sludge for cultivation of clarysage (Salvia sclarea) at CIMAP research farm, Lucknow, India during the year 2012–2013. Six doses (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 tha⁻¹) of processed tannery sludge were tested in randomised block design with four replications. Results revealed that maximum shoot, root, dry matter and oil yield were obtained with application of 80 tha⁻¹of tannery sludge and these were 94, 113 and 61% higher respectively, over control. Accumulation of heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Fe, Pb) were relatively high in shoot portion of the plant than root. Among heavy metals, magnitude of chromium accumulation was higher than nickel, iron and lead in shoot as well as in root. Linalool, linalyl acetate and sclareol content in oil increased by 13,8 and 27% respectively over control, with tannery sludge application at 80 tha⁻¹. Heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium and lead content reduced in postharvest soil when compared to initial status. Results indicated that clarysage (Salvia sclarea) can be grown in soil amended with 80 tha⁻¹sludge and this can be a suitable accumulator of heavy metals for phytoremediation of metal polluted soils.

Keywords::

• essential oil
• herb yield
• sclareol
• linalool
• heavy metal
• Salvia sclarea

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, India for financial assistance under the network project INDEPTH.