Growth of Jatropha curcas on heavy metal contaminated soil amended with industrial wastes and Azotobacter – A greenhouse study

The aims of the study were to evaluate the effect of organic wastes (biosludge and dairy sludge) and biofertilizer (Azotobacter chroococcum) on the planting conditions of Jatropha curcas in metal contaminated soils. Results showed that the plants survival rate in heavy metal contaminated soil increased with addition of amendments. Treatment T6 (heavy metal contaminated soils + dairy sludge + biofertilizer) observed to be the best treatment for growth (height and biomass) as compared with the treatment T5 (heavy metal contaminated soils + biosludge + biofertilizer). In addition, organic amendments provided nutrients such as carbon, N, P and K to support plant growth and reduced the metal toxicity to plant. The present study showed that metal contaminated lands/soils could be suitably remediated by adapting appropriate measures.