Vegetative and Physiological Responses of Alcea kurdica (Schl.) Alef. to Contaminated Petroleum Hydrocarbon Stress in Soil

IJEP 46(11): 1045-1054 : Vol. 46 Issue 11 (November 2026)

Full Text

Asmaa Ibrahim Othman*, Abdulminam H. Ali and Nayyef M. Azeez

University of Basrah, Department of Ecology, Basra Governorate, Iraq

Abstract

Petroleum pollution has become a major environmental problem that degrades soil quality and necessitates effective rehabilitation strategies. Phytoremediation with ornamental plants offers aesthetic and ecological benefits by restoring contaminated sites and enhancing landscape beauty. This study investigated the response of the ornamental species Alcea kurdica to exposure to different concentrations of petroleum under controlled greenhouse conditions. A study was conducted in the year (2024-2025) on A. kurdica grown in soil artificially augmented with crude oil. A mixture of sand, peat moss and silt was used as a substrate and single plants were subjected to three different oil concentrations (0.25%, 0.5% and 1%). A set of variables, including growth parameters, biomass allocation, carbon sequestration, soil physico-chemical properties and biochemical traits, was quantified. Data were analyzed statistically using the least significant difference (LSD) test at the 0.05 level. Results demonstrated that plant growth showed concentration-dependent responses and under the 1% petroleum treatment, fresh and dry weights, as well as stem height, reached their maximum values. In contrast, leaf area declined progressively with increasing petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) contamination. Biochemical analyses revealed reduced total chlorophyll and antioxidant compounds (ascorbic acid and glutathione), alongwith increased proline, phenols, carotenoids and anthocyanins, indicating activation of antioxidant protection and pigment-based mechanisms against oxidative stress. A. kurdica exhibited clear physiological and biochemical adaptations that allow it to survive and grow under petroleum stress. These characteristics indicate the potential of ornamental plants to serve as functional tools for phytoremediation and ecological restoration of petroleum-contaminated soils.

Keywords

Petroleum contamination, Soil, Alcea kurdica, Biochemical responses, Biomass changes

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