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ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to investigate the morphological and physiological responses of African yam bean (Sphenostylis sternocarpa) (AYB) to cadmium pollution. Twenty (20) kg of sun-dried soil was measured into fifty four (54) bags arranged in three blocks. Each bag was polluted with cadmium by dissolving 0.24 g of CdCl2 in 1.6 L of distilled water and the solution introduced into the sun-dried soil. Nine selected AYB accessions (TSs-87, TSs-89, TSs-90, TSs-91, TSs-92, TSs-93, TSs-94, TSs-95, and TSs-96) were pre-soaked for 30 minutes and then sown in the polluted soil, while those sown in unpolluted soil were considered as control plants. Data collected were subjected to ANOVA, and means were separated at 95% confidence interval. Results showed that incidence of cadmium pollution delayed seedling emergence in all tested AYB accessions by at least one day. Under cadmium influence, TSs-96 attained 50 % emergence faster than other accessions. With regard to seedling vigour, the present study showed that TSs-91 and TSs-96 responded similarly to cadmium pollution (p>0.05). Although there were general reductions in yield due to exposure to Cd, TSs-92 showed the least percentage yield reduction (50%), compared to 74% yield reduction in TSs-93, thereby suggesting a comparatively better yield capacity compared to the other test accessions.
