Evaluation on maize growth upon the influence of crude oil on clay soil environment
Abstract
An experimental investigation was carried out to examine the impact of crude oil contamination on the growth rate of different maize species. The study involved artificially polluting a clay soil environment with varying concentrations of crude oil, after which the growth response of selected maize varieties was monitored.
The maize species used in the experiment included OBA98, OBASuper 1, OBASuper 2, O.P. maize, and Tzee-maize. Prior to planting, the physicochemical properties of the clay soil were analyzed and recorded as follows: pH 6.54, available phosphorus (P) – 17.55 mg/kg, sodium (Na) – 0.24 cmol/kg, potassium (K) – 0.07 mg = 1.60 cmol/kg, nitrogen (N) – 0.01%, total electrical conductivity – 46.56 µS, and moisture content – 20.18%, among other relevant parameters as presented in the results.
The growth of the maize plants was measured at five-day intervals across the different pollution levels. It was observed that the degree of crude oil contamination significantly influenced the growth performance of the maize species studied.
The growth evaluation revealed that within the first 0 to 10 days, there was an initial increase in growth. However, after 10 days, growth plateaued and eventually declined due to the toxic effects of the contaminants.
The findings of this study highlight the adverse effects of crude oil pollution on soil health and crop development, demonstrating that increased contamination levels result in reduced maize growth and potential crop failure over time.
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References
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