Response of Okra ( Abelmoschus Esculentus ) Seedlings to Spent Oil- Contaminated Soil Enhanced with Mycorrhizal Fungi

Abstract

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a widely cultivated vegetable known for its nutritional and economic importance. Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic associations with plant roots, enhancing nutrient uptake and improving plant tolerance to environmental stresses. This study explored the adaptation of Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench to spent oil-contaminated soil amended with mycorrhizal fungi, focusing on plant height, number of leaves, and leaf surface area as indicators of growth and adaptation. The results indicated significant differences in plant growth across various treatments. The plants grown in uncontaminated soil amended with mycorrhizal fungi exhibited the tallest growth, reaching 18 cm by 22 days after planting, suggesting a positive adaptation to the soil environment. The number of leaves in the contaminated treatments decreased over time, particularly at 17 DAP, indicating that spent oil contamination adversely affected leaf retention. Leaf surface area increased over time for all treatments, with the largest leaf area observed in the uncontaminated soil amended with mycorrhizal fungi, reaching 51.25 cm² at 22 DAPS, compared to 49.17 cm² in the control. The observations suggest that mycorrhizal fungi can enhance the adaptation of Abelmoschus esculentus to spent oilcontaminated soils by improving plant growth and mitigating some of the adverse effects of contamination. However, the findings also underscore the complexity of remediating heavily contaminated soils, where the fungi’s effectiveness may be limited by the severity of the pollution.