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Sorghum Soil Contamination

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Sorghum bicolor L. is an important crop due to its wide use as food, feed and energy crop. In addition, Sorghum appears promising as a cereal crop, which has some non-food uses, particularly for bioethanol production (Epelde et al., 2009). It comes originally from North Africa, and therefore, is resistant to heat and drought. It is unique due to specific compounds (phytates, tannins), which affect its nutritional value. Increased concentration of essential elements in agricultural soils means higher plant uptake. However, soil also contains toxic elements such as heavy metals; the higher concentrations, the higher are the uptake of nonessential elements. What is more, the concentrations of these metals are so toxic they can cause death of plants …show more content…

Source of anthropogenic metal contamination include industrial effluents, fuel production, mining, smelting processes, military operation, utilization of agricultural chemicals, small-scale industries (including battery production, metal products, metal smelting and cable coating industries), brick kilns and coal combustion (Zhen-Guo et al., 2002). One of the prominent sources contributing to increased load of soil contamination is disposal of municipal wastage. This wastage is either dumped on roadsides or used as landfills, while sewage is used for irrigation. These wastages, although useful as sources of nutrients, are also source of carcinogens and toxic metals. Other source can include unsafe or excess application of pesticides, fungicides and fertilisers (Zhen-Guo et al., 2002). Additional potential sources of heavy metals include irrigation water contaminated by sewage and industrial effluent leading to contaminated soils and vegetables (Bridge …show more content…

Plants need different concentrations for growth and development. This ability also allows plants to accumulate other “non-essential” metals (Al, As, Au, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, Pd, Pt, Sb, Te, Tl and U) which have no known biological function (Djingova and Kuleff 2000). Moreover, metals cannot be broken down and when concentrations inside the plant cells accumulate above threshold or optimal levels, it can cause direct toxicity by damaging cell structure (due to oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species) and inhibit a number of cytoplasmic enzymes (Assche and Clijsters 1990). In addition, it can cause indirect toxic effects by replacing essential nutrients at cation exchange sites in plants (Taiz and Zeiger 2002). Baker (1981) proposed, however, that some plants have evolved to tolerate the presence of large amounts of metals in their environment by the following three

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