Authors : Ali Khan Kanani

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 7 - July

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/bddshhkh

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/3444dttk

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jul273

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Soil acidification is one of the most critical and underaddressed threats to global agriculture, currently affecting an estimated 50% of the world's arable land. Driven primarily by atmospheric deposition of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, excessive nitrogen fertilization, and the natural leaching of base cations, soil acidification disrupts the chemical equilibrium of the rhizosphere, diminishing nutrient bioavailability and increasing the concentration of phytotoxic elements such as aluminum (Al³⁺) and manganese (Mn²⁺). This research investigates the impact of two soil contaminants — hydrochloric acid (HCl) and lead nitrate [Pb(NO₃)₂] — at three concentration levels each (0.5 mol/L, 1.0 mol/L, and 2.0 mol/L) on the germination rate and early shoot development of Vigna radiata (mung bean) under controlled laboratory conditions. The results were unambiguous: only the untreated control group (pH ≈ 7.0, distilled water) achieved successful germination, producing shoots averaging 3.2 cm at Day 7. All six treatment groups — spanning pH values from approximately 1.9 to 5.2 — recorded either negligible or zero germination, confirming that even moderate soil acidification produces conditions lethal to seed germination in acid-sensitive legume species. These findings corroborate the hypothesis that soil pH deviations beyond the tolerance range of a given species produce dose-dependent inhibition of germination and growth. The paper contextualizes these experimental results within the broader literature on soil acidification mechanisms, discusses real-world agricultural implications particularly for smallholder farmers in South Asia, and proposes sustainable mitigation strategies including biochar application, composting, and integrated soil management systems.

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