Influence of Lherzolite on the Growth of Chinese Spinach and Soil Respiration in Cadmium Contaminated Soil

Abstract

A glasshouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate cadmium (Cd) to- lerance on the growth of Chinese spinach (Spinacia Oleracea L.) grown in

sandy loam soil and microbial respiration after application of lherzolite (0%, 2.5% and 5%) with added Cd (0, 2.5 and 5 mg∙kg−1

). Soil pH tended to in- crease with increasing application rate of lherzolite about 1.5 units after plant

harvest. Plant growth and microbial respiration in one hand decreased with the rates of Cd application in soil but on the other hand lherzolite application

in soil reduced Cd toxicity and enhanced plant growth and microbial respira- tion. Microbial respiration of soil showed significant positive relationship with

shoot and root dry weight of spinach but negative relationship of Cd concen- tration in plant tissue. This result indicated that application of lherzolite de- toxified Cd toxicity in plant resulted in an increase plant growth and microbi- al respiration in Cd contaminated soil.