Effect of Bonny Light Crude Oil Pollution of Soil on the Growth of dayflower

ABSTRACT: The effect of Bonny Light Crude oil pollution of soil and successive plantings in the same soil at 4 – week intervals on the growth of dayflower (Commelina benghalensis L.) was investigated. The factorial sets of treatments were two levels of oil pollution (0 and 50 mg/g) and 5 successive plantings. Characters assessed were mean plant height, leaf area per plant and mean dry matter weight. At each of the 5 croppings mean plant characters assessed were significantly higher (P = 0.05) at 0 mg/g oil pollution than at the 50 mg oil/g soil pollution level. In the Control treatments, a declining trend in plant growth was observed from the 1st to the 5th crop. In contrast, in the oil-treated soils, an increasing trend was observed