Plantago ovata Forsk. (isabgol) is a valuable medicinal plant; its seeds and shell have a significant role in pharmacy as a laxative compound. Increasing soil contamination with cadmium (Cd) is one of the major concerns and is responsible for toxic effects in plants. This investigation was aimed to analyze the role of biofertilizers in alleviation of cadmium stress, given at the rate of 0, 50, and 100 mg kg(-1) of soil. The plants of isabgol, were grown in pots with and without application of AM fungi and Azotobacter (alone and combination). Cadmium showed negative effect on growth and biochemical component whereas proline and MDA content increase with increasing cadmium concentration. Addition of bio-fertilizer showed better growth and higher pigment concentration under cadmium stress as compared to the control. The dual inoculation of AM fungi and Azotobacter was found to be the best in reduction of cadmium stress and promotion of growth parameters.

Seeds of Capsicum annuum L. var. Pusa jwala and G4 were treated with varying concentrations (0.01% -to-0.05%) of diethyl sulphate (DES) and their effect on different stages of meiosis studied in M 1 generation. Various types of meiotic abnormalities and reduction in chiasma frequency were noticed in the diethyl sulphate treated populations. The highest percentage of chromosomal aberration (22.66% in var. G4 and 20.45% in var. pusa jwala) was recorded at the highest concentration (0.05% DES) of the mutagen. However, DES treatments were found to be more effective in inducing meiotic abnormalities and reduction in chiasma frequency in var. G4 (1.20) as compared to var. Pusa jwala (1.30). Further, a negative relationship between increasing concentrations of DES and reduction in chiasma frequency in treated population was also observed. Taking the percentage of meiotic abnormalities and reduction in chiasma frequency as an index of sensitivity of genotype to DES, var. G4 was found to be more sensitive than var. Pusa jwala.

Use of wastewater for irrigation is on the rise in India and other developing countries. Wastewater contains plant nutrients that favour crop growth but leave a burden of heavy metals which can enter the food chain and is a cause of great concern. This study was conducted to explore the possibility of using wastewater to grow four vegetables fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.), spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and carrot (Daucus carotaL.). Two aspects namely (1) effect on plant growth and yield (2) accumulation of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in leaves and roots of the plant have been presented in this paper. The physico-chemical analysis of the wastewater showed that it was rich in total suspended and dissolved solids with large amount of BOD and COD. The higher amount of Cl-, Ca++, Mg++ and K+ were also present in the effluent. The heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) content in wastewater is comparatively more than groundwater (GW). The values of these heavy metals were slightly higher in the soil irrigated with wastewater. The effluent severely affects crop plants and soil properties when used for irrigation. The growth characteristics (plant length, plant fresh and dry weight, leaf number and leaf area) as well as yield characteristics (seed number, 1000 seed weight and seed yield) of all the plants, irrigated with 100% wastewater, were more than that with groundwater. The pattern of increase for the plants was fenugreek> radish> spinach> carrot. Though the wastewater contains low levels of the heavy metals, the soil and plant samples show higher values due to accumulation, but their level was under permissible limits in plants. The trend of metal accumulation in wastewater-irrigated soil is in the order: Pb> Ni> Zn> Cu> Cr> Cd. Of the four plants that are grown, the order of total heavy metal accumulation in roots is Carrot> Radish, while in leaves the order is Spinach> Fenugreek. The enrichment factor (EF) of the heavy metals in contaminated soil is in the sequence of Ni (3.1)>Pb (2.6)> Cd (2.35)> Zn (2.18)> Cu (1.66)> Cr (1.05), while in plants EF varies depending upon the species and plant part. Radish and carrot show a high transfer factor (TF >1) for Cd signifying a high mobility of Cd from soil to plant whereas the TF values for Pb are very low as it is not bioavailable. Thus, it may be concluded that wastewater may be used profitably for the cultivation of these vegetables and could effectively supplement not only the nutrient requirement of the crop but may also act as the source of water.

Today, due to the constraint in availability of the freshwater for irrigation, wastewater is being used for irrigation of agriculture fields. Wastewater contain plant nutrients that favour crop growth but leave a burden of heavy metals which can enter the food chain and is a cause of great concern. This research work aimed at evaluating the potential utilization of wastewater as an alternative source of water and nitrogen (N) for fenugreek. For this purpose, a pot experiment was conducted with wastewater and four doses of nitrogen (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg.ha -1 ) to observe a comparative effect on growth and biochemical characteristics using fenugreek as the test crop.Wastewater and soil used in the experiment were analyzed for their physicochemical properties. Results indicate that wastewater was richer in essential plant nutrients but contained some heavy metals in amounts well below the permissible limits for its use as irrigation water. Use of wastewater with 20 kg.N.ha -1 improved growth, proline and antioxidant enzymes of the plant as compared to application of groundwater with no fertilizer. Lipid peroxidation increased with wastewater but decreased with the increasing nitrogen doses, so the best combination (WW×N 20 ) has negative impact on this parameter. These results concluded that wastewater can efficiently substitute groundwater and also works as a nutrient source whereas application of nitrogen could provide protection against the oxidative stress by increasing the antioxidant protective system.

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