Growth Performance of Groundnut and Incidence of Foliar Diseases (Arachis hypogaea L) in Spent Engine Oil Polluted Soil Augmented with Cow Dung

Abstract

In this study, the growth of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L cv Samnut 10.) as well as incidence of foliar diseases as affected by different concentrations of spent engine oil (SEO) augmented with varying concentrations of cow dung was investigated. Generally, growth of A. hypogea in terms of plant height, number of leaves, stem girth and leaf area was significantly (p<0.05) enhanced in the control (unpolluted soil) and in those soils treated with 100g of cow dung, 25g spent engine oil augmented with 75g cow dung and 75g spent engine oil augmented with 25g cow dung compared to other treatments where soils were polluted with 50g spent engine oil augmented with 50g cow dung and 100g spent engine oil without augmentation. It was also observed that the performance of the crop improved as the period of study increased in those treatments where growth was enhanced. The incidence of leaf spot diseases was also observed to be checked in soils with high concentration of spent engine oil. It is being recommended that for better performance of the test crop adequate quantity of cow dung should be used in relation to the concentration of the contaminant.