A greenhouse experiment was conducted at Soils Dept., Fac. Agric.,
Mansoura Univ. during 2000/2001 season to study the effect of different rates of lead
added in form of lead sulphate ( PbS04 ) at the rates of 0, 100, 200, 300 and 4;.;0
ppm Pb on the dry weight and chemical composition of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and
spinach (Spinacia o/eracea). Results showed that dry matter yield of shoots and roots for both lettuce and
spinach decreased by increasing Pb levels in the experimental soil. With regard to the effect of lead levels on lead concentration and uptake by
lettuce and spinach tissues, results showed that lead concentration and uptake
increased with increasing lead levels in the experimental soil, and the concentration of
Pb reached the toxic levels in the roots of the two plants. However, the concentrations
and uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium by the plant tissues had a severely
reduction with increasing lead levels in the experimental soil.