TITLE:
Assessment of Seedling Establishment and Growth Performance of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit., Senna siamea (Lam.) and Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maid. in Amended and Untreated Pyrite and Copper Tailings
AUTHORS:
Jamilu Edirisa Ssenku, Mohammad Ntale, Ingvar Backéus, Hannington Oryem-Origa
KEYWORDS:
Seedling Establishment; Growth Performance; Pyrite; Phytostabilization; Tailings; QECA
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.2 No.1,
March
19,
2014
ABSTRACT: Growth and survival
performance of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit., Senna siamea Lam. and Eucalyptus
grandis W. Hill ex Maid. in amended and untreated pyrite and copper
tailings were evaluated under field conditions. The physico-chemical
characteristics of the pyrite soil and tailings were determined. Growth in
height, basal diameter and later dbh, relative growth rate due to height (RGRh)
and basal diameter (RGRd) and survival were determined every
after six months. A split block experimental design was used and the data
collected were analyzed using a statistical package R, with an additional
package lme4. Tailings and pyrite soils had extremely low pH, poor nutritional
status, low organic matter content and elevated concentrations of available
heavy metals as compared to the unpolluted soils and treated pyrite soil and
copper tailings. Growth performance was extremely poor on the untreated pyrite
soil and copper tailings for all the species but significantly enhanced by the
application of compost and limestone. Treatment had a significant effect on all
parameters at all sites. Eucalyptus grandis displayed a higher
potential of phytomass accumulation than Leucaena leucocephala and Senna
siamea. Even though Leucaena leucocephala grew fastest reaching
reproductive maturity in 7 months after planting, relative growth rates of the
three species were not significantly different at all sites. The three species can be
used for phytostabilisation of the
tailings at Kilembe tailings dam sites (KTDS) after treatment while at Low
polluted pyrite trail site (LPPTS) and Highly polluted pyrite trail sites
(HPPTS) Senna siamea is more suitable as Eucalyptus grandis and Leucaena
leucocephala are susceptible to attacks by Syncerus caffer (Buffalos) and Kobus kob thomasi (Uganda Kob).