Assessing the Impact of Altered Clay Mineral and Red Mud Derivatives on the Characteristics of Mustard (B. juncea) and the Soil Arsenic Content
Siyaram Meena
Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India.
Kapil Atmaram Chobhe *
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, USA.
Debasis Golui
Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA.
Ram Swaroop Bana
Division of Agronomy, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India.
Sandeep Gawdiya
Division of Agronomy, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India.
Arkaprava Roy
Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A pot experiment was conducted during the winter season (rabi) of 2020-21 at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) was cultivated to investigate the impact of modified clay mineral (Bentonite) and Red mud on yield characteristics and total arsenic content in the soil. The main objective was to examine how the application of modified clay mineral and red mud (Fe-exchanged bentonite, Dimethyl sulfoxide-intercalated bentonite, and Iron-exchanged red mud) would affect the yield attributes of Indian mustard. The initial soil's total arsenic content was 16.2 mg kg-1. The results revealed that all the mentioned treatments led to a significant increase in leaf biomass and root volume compared to the control pot. Significantly, highest leaf biomass (g pot-1) was recorded in Fe-exchanged bentonite (4.10 g pot-1) followed by Dimethyl sulfoxide-intercalated bentonite (4.00 g pot-1), and Iron-exchanged redmud (3.93 g pot-1) respectively at the rate of 5.00 g product per kg soil. The highest root volume (6.6 cm2) was observed in soil treated with 5.00 g kg-1 of Fe-exchanged bentonite. Dimethyl sulfoxide-intercalated bentonite, and Iron-exchanged red mud also showed positive effects but to a lesser extent. total As content in contaminated soil was thoroughly investigated, and the results revealed that these clays did not exert a significant influence on the total As content under the given application rates.
Keywords: Brassica juncea, clay minerals, red mud, arsenic