Effect of copper on Growth of Blackgram (Phaseolus radiatus L. Var. GT.1)

Copper is one of the micronutrients to plants. Excess copper is phytotoxic in nature. Copper concentration is increased in mining areas as well as near copper smelters. Industrialization also adds copper to the soil and water. Blackgram, important pulses, is used for the study of excess copper on plants. Seeds of blackgram were soaked in CuSO4 (1mM) and distilled water (DW) for 5 h. Plants were raised from unsoaked, DW soaked and CuSO4 soaked seeds. Vegetative and reproductive growth was studied from these plants. Soaking the seeds in DW before promotes the vegetative growth but inhibits the reproductive growth. CuSO4 soaking decreases vegetative and reproductive growth. It is observed that exposure of seeds to excess copper before sowing adversely affects the growth of the plants. Five hours exposure with copper is initial stage of germination behaved as phytotoxic element for blackgram GT-1 plants.