EFFECTS OF SPENT ENGINE OIL ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF (AMARANTHUS HYBRIDUS) BIOREMEDIATED WITH SPENT MUSHROOM

ABSTRACT

A trial was conducted between March and April at the screen house of Department of Crop science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin city, Nigeria to evaluate the effects of spent Engine oil Bioremediated with spent mushroom on the growth and Herbage of Amaranth. The study involved three concentration of spent engine oil (0, 5 and 10% v/w) and four rate of Spent Mushroom (0, 200, 400, 600 g per 10kg of soil) laid out in a 3× 4 Factorial arrangement fitted in a completely randomized Design and Replicated three times. Data were collected on plant height, stem girth, number of leaves and herbage yield. From the results, spent engine oil adversely affected days to seedling emergence, plant height, stem girth, number of leaves, leaf area and herbage yield. These parameters decreased with increasing levels of spent engine oil pollution. At 2, 4 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS), unpolluted soil had the tallest plants while those with 10 % pollution level were the shortest. At 4 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS), stem girth decreased with increasing spent engine oil pollution. The highest herbage yield (3.97 t ha^-1) was recorded in soils without SEO concentration. While the lowest herbage yield (0.993 t ha^-1) was recorded in soils treated with 10 % SEO concentration. Growth and herbage yield were improved in spent engine oil polluted soils treated with spent Mushroom. Soil treated with spent mushroom at 600g produced the highest herbage yield of 3.21 t ha^-1.