Impact of Light Crude Oil Contamination on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in Zea Mays L

Authors

  • Aiad Abdelkareim Akhreim Alzway

    Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Omar Al-Muhtar University, Al-Bayda Box 919, Libya
  • Ghazala Ahmad Hamaden Mansour

    Department of Botany, Faculty of Sciences, University of Benghazi, Benghazi P. O. Box 1308, Libya
  • Kailas Deoram Ahire

    Department of Environmental Science, K.R.T. Arts, B.H. Commerce, A.M. Science (KTHM) College, Nashik 422002, India
  • Idress Hamad Attitalla

    Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Health Sciences, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Al-Bayda Box 919, Libya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v7i4.9506
Received: 14 April 2025 | Revised: 14 May 2025 | Accepted: 26 June 2025 | Published Online: 28 August 2025

Abstract

This study explores the dose-dependent impacts of light crude oil contamination on seed germination and seedling growth in Zea mays L. (maize), a critical agricultural species. We hypothesized that higher concentrations of light crude oil in soil would progressively suppress germination kinetics and seedling vigor. To test this, Zea mays seeds were exposed to light crude oil at concentrations ranging from 0.0% to 10.0% (v/v) mixed with soil. The experimental design included a control group treated with distilled water to establish baseline germination and growth metrics. Results revealed a clear concentration-dependent phytotoxic effect. Germination percentage significantly declined from 93.3% in the control to 40.0% at 8.0% (v/v) oil concentration (p < 0.05), with complete inhibition of germination observed at 10.0% (v/v). Seedling vigor, assessed through shoot length, exhibited a drastic 93% reduction at 8.0% (v/v) compared to the control, while concentrations up to 4.0% (v/v) showed minimal impact on growth. Germination indices, such as Mean Germination Time (MGT) and Coefficient of Velocity of Germination (CGV), further corroborated the inhibitory effects, with higher oil concentrations delaying and reducing germination rates. These findings suggest a phytotoxicity threshold for Zea mays around 6.0% (v/v) light crude oil, beyond which severe impairments occur. The data provide valuable insights for developing phytoremediation strategies in oil-contaminated agricultural soils. However, the study’s limitations include its focus on a single species and the absence of field-based validation, necessitating further research to confirm these findings under natural conditions and across diverse plant species.

Keywords:

Petroleum; Zea mays L; Seed Germination; Oil Contamination

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How to Cite

Akhreim Alzway, A. A., Hamaden Mansour, G. A., Ahire, K. D., & Attitalla, I. H. (2025). Impact of Light Crude Oil Contamination on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth in Zea Mays L. Research in Ecology, 7(4), 20–31. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v7i4.9506

Issue

Vol. 7, Iss. 4 (October 2025)(in progress)

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2025 Aiad Abdelkareim Akhreim Alzway, Ghazala Ahmad Hamaden Mansour, Kailas Deoram Ahire, Idress Hamad Attitalla

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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