ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Growth Attributes and Pigmentation of Fenugreek Under Fluoride Toxicity

Indiscriminate and exorbitant use of chemicals and other xenobiotics like fluoride (F) is increasing in everyday life. The present investigation aimed to assess the phytotoxic effects of F on fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum). Seeds of fenugreek were treated with 2.5 mM, 5 mM, 7.5 mM, and 10 mM concentrations of F. Toxic effect of F was observed as a decrease with an overall poor health of the seedlings. The highest applied concentration of F (10 mM) was toxic to the extent that seeds were not germinated. After a slight increase, a reduction in the root-shoot length, root-shoot biomass, number of nodules, and fresh and dry weight of nodules was observed with increasing concentrations of F. Furthermore, leaf area and relative water content in the leaf showed a progressive reduction with an increment in F concentration. Plants treated with F showed that pigments like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll were decreased under F toxicity. Detrimental impacts of F toxicity were found to be highly significant (p=0.001) for nodule dry weight, leaf area, chlorophyll a, and, total chlorophyll content.