A Comparative Study on the Phytoremediation Efficiency of Sunflower and Oat in Deltamethrin-Contaminated Soil
Keywords:
Chlorophyll content, Cucumber, Deltamethrin, Oat, Phytoremediation, Pyrethroid insecticide, Soil contamination, SunflowerAbstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of deltamethrin on the growth and physiological performance of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and to assess the efficiency of phytoremediation using sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.) in mitigating the adverse effects of pesticide accumulation in soil. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design under pot conditions and included five deltamethrin levels (control, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 of the recommended field dose). Morphological growth parameters (seedling length, fresh weight, and dry weight) and physiological traits represented by total chlorophyll content were measured. Data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey’s post hoc test at p ≤ 0.05.
The results showed that deltamethrin significantly reduced all growth parameters and total chlorophyll content of cucumber plants, particularly at higher concentrations, where severe growth inhibition was observed. In contrast, phytoremediation treatments significantly improved growth and chlorophyll content compared with insecticide-treated soil alone. The cucumber + sunflower soil treatment consistently outperformed the cucumber + oat soil treatment across all concentrations. These findings indicate that sunflower is a promising phytoremediation plant for reducing deltamethrin toxicity in contaminated soils and enhancing agricultural sustainability.
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