Effect of kiln dust from a cement factory on growth of Vicia faba L.

This study was undertaken to study the effects of different amounts of kiln dust mixed with soil on the seed germination, plant growth, leaf area and water content of Vicia faba cv. Eresen. The reason for this was that cement kiln dust generated as a by-product from the cement factories is rich in potassium, sulfate and other compounds. This product becomes a serious problem when it comes in contact with water. The dust was collected from a cement factory located in Çanakkale. Various elements such as Al, Co, Mo, Ca, B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Se and Zn were determined both in soil as well as kiln dust. Kiln dust was mixed with soil in pots (20 cm diameter) to make seven different treatments varying from 15 to 105 g kiln dust kg-1 of soil. The experiment lasted for 4 months. Seeds of V. faba were sown in the pots filled with mixtures of preanalysed kiln dust and soil. Germination was high in the pots with a lower treatment of cement kiln dust. However, lower germination rates were observed in the pots mixed with the highest and the medium amounts of cement kiln dust. Plants growing in the soil including 15 g kiln dust showed better performance in length as compared to control. Leaf area increased with increase in cement kiln dust content up to 60 g kiln dust kg-1 of soil, but declined after 75 g kg-1. Water content of leaves (mg cm-2 leaf area) was found to be constantly decreasing with respect to increasing cement kiln content in the pots. Differences between the averages were evaluated by Tukey test and results were found to be significant.

An overview of plant diversity of Kazdagi (Mt. Ida) Forest National Park, Turkey.

Kazdagi (Mt. Ida) forms the natural border between the provinces of Canakkale and Balikesir in northwestern Turkey. The highest peak (Karatas Hill) of this mountain is 1774 m. Kazdagi was declared a National Park in 1994 because of its rich plant cover. Its importance is mainly derived from the presence of a restricted zone of Abies nordmanniana ssp. equi-trojani forest as well as for its natural beauty and appearance in classical mythology. There are three vegetation types on Kazdagi, viz. forest vegetation, shrub vegetation and high mountain vegetation. There are 800 plant taxa recorded on Kazdagi. 198 of them are of particular ethnobotanical significance for this mountain. Kazdagi is accepted as one of the most important floristic areas of Turkey.