EFFECTS OF IRON, LEAD AND ZINC ON GROWTH AND METAL ACCUMULATION IN Trigonella foenum-graecum L. SEEDLINGS

The effects of Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn), on growth and their accumulation in the Trigonella foenum-graecum L. seedlings were investigated. A factorial experiment with three factors (Fe, Pb and Zn) concerning three concentrations of Fe, Zn and Pb with different concentrations ranging from 25, 50 and 75 µg ml-1respectivelywere carried out. The result obtained that effect of zinc chloride with 75 µgml-1concentrations was found best in the terms of morphological growth of epicotyls, hypocotyls and roots in T. foenum-graecum as compared to the control and different heavy metals with different concentrations. The severe effects were noticed in lead chloride with 75 µg ml-1in morphological growth of root followed by epicotyls and hypocotyls as compared to control. Our results showed that Lead chloride and Iron chloride at a concentration of 75 µg ml-1 inhibit plant growth whereas Zinc chloride at the concentration of 75 µg ml-1enhances plant growth. The higher concentration of heavy metals especially in case of lead chloride showed fatal effect on fenugreek seeds both biochemically as well as physiologically. Therefore, T. foenum-graecum proved as a candidate for remediation of sites contaminated by Fe, Pb and Zn Toxicity in India, because they trans after remediation.