Abstract
Rapid industrialization is potentially contaminating the environment. Tannery is one of the industries producing very high amount of effluents, having a significant quantity of chromium (Cr) along with other pollutants. Due to a water shortage in Pakistan, farmers are using wastewater from tanneries for irrigation, which markedly reduces plant growth and biomass. Irrigation of crops with tannery wastewater is one of the main sources of Cr entry into the food web, which is a major threat to human beings. The present study was planned to investigate the effect of tannery wastewater on wheat plants and the role of fulvic acid (FA) in Cr toxicity alleviation. Results showed that application of tannery wastewater reduced plant growth, biomass, and photosynthetic pigments. Application of wastewater induced oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation in wheat plants. The application of FA played a very beneficial role in Cr toxicity alleviation in wheat plants irrigated with wastewater. Fulvic acid enhanced plant growth, biomass, and photosynthetic pigments, while reducing oxidative damage, lipid peroxidation, and Cr accumulation in stressed plants. It is concluded that application of FA in crops, irrigated with tannery wastewater, is one of the best strategies to mitigate Cr toxicity in plants.