Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Agriculture - Department of Ornamental Horticulture

This study was carried out in the Experimental Field of the Ornamental Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, during the two successive seasons of 2012 and 2013. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of reducing the harmful effect of cadmium soil pollution on the growth and flowering of Tagetes erecta (African marigold) plants by the addition of nickel, FeNa+EDTA and salicylic acid. Plants were grown in 20 cm pots filled with clay + sand (1:1, v/v, weight= 4.5 kg soil) and were treated twice with cadmium, in the form of cadmium acetate [(CH₃COO)₂Cd.2H₂O], as a soil drench at 0, 5, 15 and 25 mg Cd/ kg soil, in addition to three different chemicals (nickel as nickel sulphate [NiSO₄.H₂O]) as a soil drench at 6 and 12 mg Ni/ kg soil, EDTA+Fe Na [C₁₀H₁₂N₂O₈.FeNa] as a foliar spray at 30 and 60 ppm, and salicylic acid [C₇H₆O₃] as a foliar spray at 50 and 100 ppm). Control plants received the Cd treatments only. The recorded results showed that Cd at 25 mg Cd/ kg soil gave the lowest values for the studied vegetative growth and flowering characteristics. In most cases, the different chemical additives (except salicylic acid at 100 ppm and EDTA+FeNa at 60 ppm) decreased the plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, number of branches and number of flower heads per plant, as well as the fresh and dry weights of leaves, stems, roots, shoots and flower heads, as well as dry matter accumulation of roots and shoots

Issued also as CD