Effects of Quarry Soil on Growth, Biomass and Nutritional Composition of Amaranths (Amaranthus cruentus)

Abstract

This research work assessed the effects of quarry soil on morphology and nutritional composition of Amaranths (Amaranthus cruentus L.). Soil samples was collected from Sutol Crushed Rock Industries, Supare-Akoko, Ondo State, at a distance of 100m, 200m, 300m and 400m from the quarry site. The amaranths seed was sown into a perforated plastic bucket and replicated four times. Data collected were plant height, total number of green leaves, stem girth, leaf area and number of senescence leaves at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after planting and root length, total number of roots, fresh shoot weight, fresh root weight, dry root weight and root length at 8 weeks after planting. Proximate composition and total chlorophyll content of Amaranthus cruentus were also evaluated. The result showed soil collected at a distance of 400m has the highest plant height and fresh shoot weight at 8 weeks, 100m gave the highest number of green leaves, higher root length and total number of roots at 8 weeks. The result also revealed that soil collected at a distance of 300m has the highest number of leaf area and stem girth at 8 weeks. While Soil collected at a distance of 200m has higher fresh root weight at 8 weeks. Also, quarry soil had significant (P < 0.05) effect on the proximate composition of the Amaranthus cruentus adversely. Chlorophyll content was also depleted in 200-meter soil, though restored as the distance further increased. However, the leaf was able to mitigate the adverse effect of the quarry soil more, in comparison to stem. Conclusively, the planting of Amaranthus cruentus L. on quarry soil adversely affect the nutritional composition performance.as measured by the proximate and chlorophyll composition.