EN
Extensive use of chromate compounds in the last few decades has resulted in contamination of our environment. In the present study we have investigated the effects of two different concentrations (10, 20 µg ml⁻¹) of chromium salts (CrCl₃, K₂CrO₄ K₂Cr₂O₇) on the growth of Zea mays L. As concentrations of chromium salts (CrCl₃, K₂CrO₄, K₂Cr₂O₇) increased, there was a significant decrease in seed germination ( 10-24%), shoot length (6-29%), root length ( 11 -33%), seedling length ( 16-24%), fresh weight of seedlings (17-67%) and increase in dry weight per seedling (3-15%), chromium content, acid phosphatases content (215-707%), and peroxidases activity (129-200%) of Zea mays plants compared to control treatment. In all treatments, the effect of hexavalent salts (K₂CrO₄ andK₂Cr₂O₇) was more severe on plant growth compared to trivalent Cr salts (CrCl₃). Zea mays plants have the ability to accumulate various chromium salts in their tissues and thus help to remediate the polluted soil.