Field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of crude petroleum oil
on cocoyam (
Colocasia esculenta
L.). Plants were grown in substrates exposed to 0, 1, 2
and 3 L/m
2 of Abura crude petroleum oil. There was significant growth stimulation (p≤
0.05) in terms of number of leaves, petiole length, leaf area, plant dry weight, and
chlorophyll content in plants subjected to 1-2 L/m
2 oil. The dry biomass as well as other
plant growth attributes showed significant reductions in plants grown in soil polluted with 3
L/m
2 oil. The highest applied oil dosage also adversely affected the leaf chlorophyll content.
The experiment demonstrated that cocoyam is sensitive to crude petroleum oil pollution.
