Impact of Oil Contamination and Humates on the Growth of Poaceae

Abstract

The article examines the impact of oil contamination and humates (Humifield Forte and Fulvital Plus) on the growth characteristics of Poaceae, such as corn (Zea mays L.) of Dostatok 300 MV hybrid, spring barley of the Karat variety and spring wheat of the Diana variety. Oil contamination has proved to inhibit plant growth and affect a decrease in the amount of photosynthetic pigments in the leaves, which can be explained by oil toxicity and the acquired hydrophobicity of soil. Soaking seeds in humate solution proved the effectiveness of their use for corn (Zea mays L.) of Dostatok 300 MV hybrid and spring barley of the Karat variety: the plants developed well and accumulated biomass actively. The use of humates for spring wheat of the Diana variety did not produce the desired effect: growth characteristics were lower, and the studied plants were weaker. An increase in the number of photosynthetic pigments, especially carotenoids, in the leaves of Poaceae plants indicates the feasibility of using humates to increase the stress resistance of plants in the early stages of growth and development in conditions of oil contamination of soil. A stimulating effect of the combination of oil contamination and Fulvital Plus on the growth of Poaceae was proved. Fulvital Plus is a growth stimulator and deficiency corrector of plant nutrition elements. The results obtained from the research prove the effectiveness of using humates for plants and can be used to increase the stress resistance and yield capacity of Poaceae in man-made conditions and to develop phytoremediation technologies for restoring oil-contaminated areas.