PHYSIOLOGICAL INDICES AND PCA-BASED EVALUATION OF CHROMIUM TOXICITY IN PEARL MILLET (Pennisetum glaucum L.), JOWAR (Sorghum bicolor L.) AND FINGER MILLET (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn)
42 / 13
Authors
-
GANDHI N
Department of crop physiology, Green Fields Institute of Agriculture, Research and Training, Hyderabad, Telangana
-
RAMA GOVINDA REDDY Y
Department of crop physiology, Green Fields Institute of Agriculture, Research and Training, Hyderabad, Telangana
Keywords:
Biochemical response, Chromium, Finger millet (Eleusine coracana(L.) Gaertn), Jowar (Sorghum bicolor L.),, Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), Seed germinationAbstract
To evaluate the impact of chromium (Cr) contamination from unregulated waste disposal on
dryland crops, a two-season experiment was conducted during the 2023 and 2024 Kharif seasons.
The study aimed to assess the toxicological effects of chromium on physiological growth indices
and tolerance mechanisms in crops of agronomic importance. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum
L.), jowar (Sorghum bicolor L.), and finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn) were grown in red
soils amended with chromium at concentrations of 0 (control), 4, 8, 12, and 15 mg/kg under a
completely randomized design with four replications. Mean values from both seasons were used
for analysis. Seed germination, total root number, root length, shoot height, and root:shoot ratio
of seedlings were measured and integrated to calculate a metal tolerance index (MTI) for each
crop. Results showed that increasing chromium concentrations exerted adverse effects on seed
germination, early growth, and tolerance of crop seedlings, with the highest concentration (15
mg/kg) causing the most severe inhibition. Among the crops, jowar exhibited the highest sensitivity,
followed by pearl millet and finger millet, indicating greater tolerance of ragi seedlings to chromium
toxicity. Lower concentrations of chromium had a more pronounced negative effect on sorghum
seedlings compared to the others, but were relatively less detrimental to pearl millet and finger
millet. From a toxicological perspective, this study highlights the inhibitory effects of chromium
even at low levels, underscoring the need to monitor and manage heavy metal contamination in
soils to safeguard crop productivity and food safety.
References
Alloway, B. J. 2013. Heavy Metals in Soils: Trace
Metals and Metalloids in Soils and their
Bioavailability. Springer, New York.
Gandhi, N., Prudhvi Raj, I., Maheshwar, M. and
Sirisha, D. 2017. Germination, seedling
growth and biochemical response of
Amaranthus tricolor L. and Sesamum
indicum L. at varying chromium
concentrations. International Journal of
Plant & Soil Science, 20(5): 1–16.
Gandhi, N., Rahul, K., Chandana, N., Madhuri,
B. and Mahesh, D. 2019. Impact of
ultraviolet radiation on seed germination,
growth and physiological response of
Bengal gram (Cicer arietinum L.) and
Horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum L.).
Journal of Biochemistry Research, 2(1):
019–0034.
Gandhi, N., Rama Govinda Reddy, Y., Rama
Naik, K. and Vijaya, Ch. 2025a. Impact
of modern agricultural practices on soil
quality of agricultural lands around
Ranga Reddy District of Telangana.
International Journal of Advanced
Academic Studies, 7(2): 38–50.
Gandhi, N., Rama Govinda Reddy, Y., Rama
Naik, K. and Vijaya, Ch. 2025b. Impact
of modern agricultural practices on
irrigation water quality in and around
Ranga Reddy District of Telangana.
International Journal of Progressive
Research in Engineering Management
and Science, 5(2): 25–39.
Gandhi, N., Rama Govinda Reddy, Y., Vijaya,
Ch. and Aruna, K. 2025c. Biogenic silica
nanoparticles from Arachis hypogaea
shell waste; Synthesis, characterization
and agricultural applications.
International Journal of Scientific
Research in Chemical Science, 12(1):
11–27.
Gandhi, N., Sai Sri, P., Sravani, B. and
Madhusudhan Reddy, D. 2022a. Impact
of microwave radiation on seed
germination growth and physiological
response of field crops. International
Journal of Scientific Research in
Multidisciplinary Studies, 8(5): 41–55.
Gandhi, N., Shruthi, Y., Sirisha, G. and Anusha,
C.R. 2021. Facile and eco-friendly
method for synthesis of calcium oxide
(CaO) nanoparticles and its potential
application in agriculture. The Saudi
Journal of Life Sciences, 6(5): 89–103.
Gandhi, N., Sirisha, D. and Asthana, S. 2015b.
Phytoremediation of lead (Pb)
contaminated soil by using Sorghum
bicolor. Research & Reviews in
BioSciences, 10(9): 333–342.
35
GANDHI AND RAMA GOVINDA REDDY
Gandhi, N., Sirisha, D. and Asthana, S. 2018a.
Microwave mediated green synthesis of
lead (Pb) nanoparticles and its potential
applications. International Journals of
Engineering Sciences and Research
Technology, 7(1): 623–644.
Gandhi, N., Sirisha, D. and Asthana, S. 2018b.
Microwave mediated green synthesis of
copper nanoparticles using aqueous
extract of Piper nigrum seeds and
particles characterization. IAETSD
Journal for Advance Research in Applied
Science, 5(2): 859–870.
Gandhi, N., Sree Laxmi, D.,Madhusudhan
Reddy, D. and Vijaya, Ch. 2022b.
Microwave mediated green synthesis of
silica nanoparticles, characterization,
antimicrobial activity, promising
application in agriculture. World
Academic Journal of Engineering
Sciences, 9(4): 01–15.
Gandhi, N., Sree Lekha, A. and Priyanka, S.
2020a. Impact of climatic and edaphic
factors on germination, growth,
physiological and biochemical response
of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan). Noble
International Journal of Agriculture and
Food Technology, 2(8): 54–84.
Gandhi, N., Sridhar, J., Pallavi, A. 2020b.
Germination growth, physiological and
biochemical response of pigeon pea
(Cajanus cajan) under varying
concentrations of copper (Cu), lead (Pb),
manganese (Mn) and barium (Ba).
International Journal of Research and
Review, 7(3): 321–347.
Rama Govinda Reddy, Y., Gandhi, N., Joseph
and Sumer Singh. 2024. Impact of
microwave radiation on sunflower
(Helianthus annuus) seed germination
and seedling growth; Mechanisms,
benefits and challenges. Journal of
Oilseeds Research, 41(1): 29–49.
Rama Govinda Reddy, Y., Gandhi, N., Joseph
and Sumer Singh. 2025. Microwave
irradiation in agriculture; Effects on seed
germination, growth, physiological and
biochemical responses of horticultural
and agricultural crops. International
Journal of Novel Research and
Development, 10(1): 192–210.
Downloads
Submitted
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The author owns the article's copyright until the article is accepted for publication. After acceptance, the author(s) assigns the article's copyright jointly to both the authors and the Publishers of the Journal of Research ANGRAU (ANGRAU) and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
