Growth of Tomato Plants in Soil Contaminated with Kuwait Crude Oil |
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| Authors: | Wendy Kuhn Rachel Gambino Nader Al-Awadhi Mohammed Talaat Balba James Dragun |
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| Affiliation: | 1. The Dragun Corporation, 30445 Northwestern Highway, Suite 260, Farmington Hills, MI 48334;2. Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, 1 Al-Jahiz Street, 13109 Safat Kuwait |
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| Abstract: | This laboratory study measured growth of one plant species, Lycopersicon esculentum Big Girl (tomato), that is sensitive to the presence of soil contamination, in Kuwait soil amended with crude-oil-contaminated soil. Germinated tomato seeds were placed in containers with soil containing 0, 0.12, 0.24, 0.36, 0.48, 0.60, 1.2, and 2.4% crude oil and were grown in an indoor growth chamber. Plants grew in Kuwait soil containing up to 0.36% crude oil; however, growth and fruit production were compromised at crude oil concentrations greater than 0.12% when compared with control plants. Plants did not grow in Kuwait soil amended with 0.48% crude oil or higher. |
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| Keywords: | bioremediation oil pollution phytotoxicity. |
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