Restoration of red mud deposits by naturally growing vegetation

<p>Disposal of red mud (RM) poses serious environmental problems such as wind erosion, air and water pollution. To overcome these problems, effective restoration of the disposal land through naturally growing vegetation is a sustainable and economical approach. The present study involved estimation of frequency (F), density (D), abundance (Ab), and important value index (IVI) of natural flora on abandoned RM sites in order to assess their metal toxicity tolerance capacity. Based on visual observations and highest IVI, <i>S. Asper</i> and <i>S. punicea</i> were identified as effective ecological tools for the restoration of barren RM sites. From the study, remarkable differences were observed between non-rhizospheric and rhizospheric RM of both species. These rhizospheric RM analyses confirm the ability of <i>S. asper</i> and <i>S. punicea</i> for enhancing the biological activities of abandoned RM. Translocation factor (TF) of iron was maximum (2.58) in <i>S. asper</i>, and bioconcentration factor (BCF) was found maximum (1.25) in <i>S. punicea</i>, but both TF (2.58) and BCF (1.35) were high in <i>S. asper</i>. Therefore, this plant could be reported as an iron hyperaccumulator plant. These results suggest that these plant species can be exploited for effective restoration of RM deposited land without any inputs or maintenance.</p

Restoration of red mud deposits by naturally growing vegetation

<p>Disposal of red mud (RM) poses serious environmental problems such as wind erosion, air and water pollution. To overcome these problems, effective restoration of the disposal land through naturally growing vegetation is a sustainable and economical approach. The present study involved estimation of frequency (F), density (D), abundance (Ab), and important value index (IVI) of natural flora on abandoned RM sites in order to assess their metal toxicity tolerance capacity. Based on visual observations and highest IVI, <i>S. Asper</i> and <i>S. punicea</i> were identified as effective ecological tools for the restoration of barren RM sites. From the study, remarkable differences were observed between non-rhizospheric and rhizospheric RM of both species. These rhizospheric RM analyses confirm the ability of <i>S. asper</i> and <i>S. punicea</i> for enhancing the biological activities of abandoned RM. Translocation factor (TF) of iron was maximum (2.58) in <i>S. asper</i>, and bioconcentration factor (BCF) was found maximum (1.25) in <i>S. punicea</i>, but both TF (2.58) and BCF (1.35) were high in <i>S. asper</i>. Therefore, this plant could be reported as an iron hyperaccumulator plant. These results suggest that these plant species can be exploited for effective restoration of RM deposited land without any inputs or maintenance.</p

Organic Amendments with Plant-Growth-Promoting Fungi Support Paddy Cultivation in Sodic Soil

<div><p>Excessive sodium content in sodic soils is an important limiting factor for cultivation of agricultural crops. The present study was conducted to explore the influence of a novel organic amendment (SF_OA) along with use of plant-growth-promoting fungi (PGPF) on soil properties and growth/yield of <i>Oryza sativa</i> L. The combined application of PGPF and SF_OA increased total organic carbon (TOC) (0.62%) and decreased the exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) (15.6%) of soil more significantly from 0.56% (TOC) and 30.1% (ESP), respectively compared to SF_OA alone treatment. The combined application reduced soil bulk density, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) and improved soil enzymatic activities. A significant negative correlation was observed between grain yield with soil ESP and bulk density (r = –0.728, and –0.789, respectively). This study showed that the combined treatment of PGPF and SF_OA could enhance the potential of organic amendments for alleviating salt stress in rice.</p></div