author(s)
L Gowthami and V Vijaya Bhaskar

abstract
Heavy metals are pollutants of great concern due to their toxicity and immutable nature. As a result of human actions such as mining, industrial activity and agricultural practices, heavy metals find their way into the soil. Transfer of heavy metals from polluted soils to plants is the major pathway of human exposure to soil contamination. Bio Concentration Factor of Mn, Cu and Zn from soils were calculated in the present investigation based on the phytoremediation capability. Phytoremediation is an emerging cost-effective, non-intrusive and aesthetically pleasing technology in which herbaceous plants and trees are used to remediate and remove the pollutants from soils. Three essential heavy metals viz., MnSO₄, CuSO₄ and ZnSO₄ at different graded levels of concentration were used in the present investigation with the main objective to study the phytoremediation capability of tuberose cv. ‘Prajwal’. Data recorded on phytoremediation of tuberose cv. ‘Prajwal’ were analyzed statistically using OPSTAT software and least significant difference was used to differentiate the treatments. An increase in the concentration of MnSO₄ recorded a significant increase in the bio-concentration factor of Mn in tuberose cv. ‘Prajwal’ during both the years of study as well as in the pooled data mean in comparison to all other treatments. CuSO₄ @ 300 mg kg^-1 soil recorded significantly highest bio-concentration factor of Cu (656.4, 17.0 and 336.7 respectively during 2018-19, 2019-20 and the pooled data mean). ZnSO₄ @ 400 mg kg^-1 soil recorded significantly highest bio-concentration factor of Zn in tuberose cv. ‘Prajwal’ (262.66, 89.98 and 176.32 respectively during 2018-19, 2019-20 and the pooled data mean). Bio-concentration factor confirmed that tuberose cv. ‘Prajwal’ had been a potential phytoremediator of essential heavy metals from soil.