ABSTRACT
The present study explored the use of growth characters of Chloris pilosa and
Anthephora ampullacea as phytoindicators of waste engine oil contamination. Four (4)
kg of air-dried soil was measured in to perforated plastic buckets and treated with
waste engine oil to obtain different concentrations [0% (control), 3%, 6%, and 9%] on
a volume to weight basis. The experiment was set up in 3 replicates. The soil samples
were allowed to stand for seven days in the experimental field before seedlings were
planted. The plants were harvested 8 weeks after transplanting. The growth parameters
investigations of the plant height, shoot girth, leaf area, and leaf number were carried
out. The growth parameters reduction with increase in the levels of pollution was
significant (P<0.05). The highest plant height values were 63.17cm (C. pilosa) and
40.47cm (A. ampullacea) in 6% and 3% contamination while lowest values of 44.73cm
(C. pilosa) and 30.03cm (A. ampullacea) were both recorded in 9% contamination at
week 8. The shoot girth, C. pilosa and A. ampullacea gave the highest values of 1.6cm
and 2.23cm at 6% and control while C. pilosa and A. ampullacea gave the lowest values
of 0.63cm and 1.13cm at control and 9% pollution at week 8. The highest leaf area
values were 8.51cm (C. pilosa) and 25.94cm (A. ampullacea) in 6% contamination and
control while the lowest values of 4.14 cm (C. pilosa) and 14.66 cm (A. ampullacea)
were both recorded in 9% contamination at week 8. In the leaf number, C. pilosa and
A. ampullacea gave the highest values of 4.33 and 18 at control and 9% pollution while
C. pilosa and A. ampullacea gave the lowest values of 3 and 12 at control respectively
at week 8. The result showed that the two grass species studied had different degrees of
tolerance to varying -levels of waste engine oil toxicity, so they both possess the
potentials as phytoindicators of toxic environment.
KEYWORDS:Anthephora ampullacea, Chloris pilosa, Contamination, Indicators,
Transplanting