Effect of Cadmium and Zinc on growth and biochemical parameters of selected vegetables.

Heavy metals occur naturally in soil but more is being released into the environment by humans especially from mining. Heavy metals are helpful for plants in mineral nutrition but in excess they cause pollution and are harmful for plants, invertebrates and some vertebrate fishes. Through precipitation of their compounds or by ion exchange into soil heavy metal pollutants can localize and lay dormant. They have inhibitory effects on plant growth and the performance of photosynthetic apparatus of plants. The present paper reports the adverse effects of zinc and cadmium on growth and biochemical parameters of Lady’s finger and Cluster bean.