Toxic Effect of Cigarette Origin Tobacco Leaf (Nicotiana tabaccum L.) and Cigarette Smoke Extract on Germination and Bio-Chemical Changes of Bengal Gram (Cicer arietinum L.)

Abstract

A study has been conducted to observe the toxic effect of leachate from cigarette origin tobacco leaf and extracts of cigarette smoke on Bengal gram (Cicer arietinum L.). Results showed that germination index significantly vary with concentration. Almost all the treated seeds germinated within five days of incubation. However tobacco leaf extract showed 85 % germination with same days of incubation. The growth parameters like root length, shoot length, number of leaf per plant, shoot diameter, root and shoot fresh and dry weight etc. changes according the concentration gradient. The highest pigment content and germination index were recorded in treatment T4.

Keywords

• Cigarette smoke
• pigment content
• seed germination
• tobacco leaf