Melkania, UmaKhalid Muhib2019-07-162019-07-162019-06http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810114674Phytoremediation is an emerging cost effective remediation technology that uses plants to remove metals from contaminated soils. Potexperiments were conducted to compare the biomass of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), plant grown on Pb and Zn contaminated soils, and to assess its efficiency for the removal of Pb and Zn. The obtained results showed that as the concentration of heavy metals increased in soil, the fresh and dry weights of the growing plants gradually decreased. The application of 835mgkg−1 soil of Pb and 598mg kg-1 Zn reduced the fresh weights of shoot and root. The maximum concentration of Pb and Zn in shoot (146.27 and 277.83mgkg−1) and roots (589.77 and 287.97mgkg−1, respectively) were recorded in the plant cultivated in contaminated soil. The highest bioaccumulation was recorded for Pb in the root grown on soil treated with 835mgkg−1.Highest plant shoot and root length was found in control soil with average values 75.67 cm and 9.5 cm, respectively.While the shortest plants shoot 58.5 cm and root 6 cm was recorded under the 835 mg kg-1 soil Pb concentration. Similarly, zinc significantly decreased plant shoot and root by 55.67 cm and 7 cm respectively when the soil treated with 598 mg kg-1 soil zinc.Therefore, the study concludes that Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) plant was more favorable for Pb and Zn uptake, and we suggest its ability for the remediation of Pb and Zn contaminated soils.ennullThesis