EFFECT OF SIMULATED ACID RAIN (SAR) ON SOME MORPHOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF MASH (VIGNA MUNGO L.)

Abstract

The studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of simulated acid rain (SAR) at early plant growth on some morphochemical characters of two varieties of Mash (Vigna mungo L.) namely Mash 97 and Var. 95009. Different pH values were made by using H2SO4, HNO3, and combination of both. The data revealed that low pH (3.5) of either sulphuric acid or the combination of H2SO4 and HNO3 affected more severely at all parameters including number of leaves, shoot: root ratio, water contents of shoot and Potassium ion concentration. Whereas for a few parameters like plant height and number of branches the simulated acid rain of solution of pH 4.5 and 3.5 by using HNO3 proved a bit better for plant growth, the root length was increased in case of SAR of solution of pH 3.5 by using H2SO4+HNO3. Foliar application of SAR of solution of pH greater than 4.5 showed some improvement in crop growth due to fertilizer effect of solution’s components.