ABSTRACT

This study is aimed at investigating the effect of dumpsite soil on the vegetative growth, heavy metal accumulation, proximate composition and vitamin contents of Telfaira occidentalis. The research was carried out in the screen house of the College of Crop and Soil Sciences Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike. The study was carried out using 5 treatments levels and two replicates each. The dumpsite soil and the normal soil were mixed at different volumes/percentages in all the thirty buckets and two seeds were planted in each of the buckets. All the growth parameters showed positive increase at all the treatments but showed greater increase at the treatment involving equal proportion of dumpsite soil and top soil. The result from the proximate composition showed that plants in higher dumpsite soil treatments had higher dry matter and carbohydrate content but showed lower ash content, moisture content, crude fibre and crude protein content. The dumpsite soil didn’t have any significant effect (p<0.05) on the vitamin composition of T. occidentalis. The result on heavy metals accumulation showed that in all the treatments, the dumpsite soil significantly (p<0.05) influenced the plants by increasing the heavy metal content which was much higher than the accumulation of these metals by plants in the control. This study has shown that planting of crops near dumpsite areas or using dumpsite soil to plant crops may have positive effects on the vegetative growth, but it increases the heavy metals accumulated by such plants which poses health hazards to human health when consumed. It is important to educate the farmers on the best farming practice and regular monitoring of heavy metal contamination should be encouraged in order to avoid possible consumption of contaminated vegetables.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page    i

Declaration ii

Certification iii

Dedication iv 

Acknowledgement v

Table of Content vi

List of Tables viii

List of Figures ix

Abstract x

CHAPTER ONE 

1.1Introduction 1

1.2 Botany of the plant 2

1.3 Justification 4

1.4 Aims and objectives 4

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature review 5

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and method 8

3.1 Study area 8

3.2 Source of materials 8

3.3 Treatment 8

3.4 Measurement 9

3.4.1 Statistical analysis 9

3.5 Soil composition 10

CHAPTER FOUR

Results 12

CHAPTER FIVE

Discussion 18

Conclusion 20

Recommendation 20

REFRENCES