BIOACCUMULATION OF FLUORIDE IN DIFFERENT PLANT PARTS OF BRASSICA JUNCEA (MUSTARD) FROM IRRIGATION WATER

In this study, the growth of, mustard (Brassica juncea), was observed to be adversely affected by irrigation with various levels of waterborne fluoride. Its effect on the growth and crop yield was conducted in a pot experiment. Nine different concentrations of F in the water were used for irrigation ranging from 3 to 24 ppm with distilled water as the control. Potentiometric determinations of the F content in different parts of the plant were made 45, 90, and 135 days after sowing the seeds (first, second, and third harvest, respectively). At the third harvest the highest mean plant part concentrations of F were recorded with 24 ppm F in the irrigation water: 19.864μg/g in the roots, 17.250μg/g inthe shoots, 15.114μg/g in the leaves, and 18.427μg/g in the crop (grain).