Abstract:
About 3 million hectare land of Bangladesh is covered by groundwater sources for Irrigation and a
significant portion of Irrigation water is arsenic (As) contaminated. To produce safe potato under As
contarnmated soil. a pot experiment was conducted in the experimental field of Sher-e-Bangia
Agncultuml University. Dhaka during the period from November 2020 to Apnl 2021 to find out thc effect
of nee husk 3S an bro-adsorbent to decontaminate As toxicity in potato. TIle experiment consisted of two
factors. Factor A: Arsenic levels (4) vi:.. ASo:control (0 mg As kg" soil). As,: 20 mg As kg I soil. Asj: 40
mg As kg·1 soil. and Asc 60 mr As kg" soil. Factor B: Rice husk levels (4) viz .• Ro: control (0 g kg I soil),
RI: 20 g kg" soil. Rl: 40 g kg' soil and RJ: 60 g kg" soil. TIIC experiment was laid out in a randomized
complete block design with three replications. Data were recorded on yield and some quality contributing
parameters of potato. Results revealed that As and/or rice husk had significant effect on most of the yield
lind quality contributing parameters studied in this experiment. The result revealed that number of tubers
plan r1 gradually increased with increasing both As and rice husk levels. On the other hand. mean tuber
weight decreased with increasing As level, but in case of rice husk and their combination had no effect
this parameter, Yield of potato (g plant') gradually decreased with the increase of As levels while
increased with increasing rice husk levels. The maximum yields (runge 399.33- 416.67 g plant I) were
obtained from ASoR2• ASoR,. As1RI, AsIRl and As,RJ whereas, the minimum was from As)RJ (350.33 g
plant I). Specific gravity and dry matter content of both flesh and peel showed negative trends with
increasing As levels in soil. vice- versa results were recorded from rice husk levels. The combined effects
of As and rice husk had significant effect on specific gravity, but not on both flesh and peel dry mailer
content. The highest specific gravity (1.0749 g ern") was observed from~. Therefore. potato growers
can grow potato up to 20 mg As kg" contaminated soil treated with 20 g rice husk kgl soil. which
contains safe As load than the critical one (0.157 mg As kg -I FW) for human consumption
