ESTIMATION OF MACRO AND MICRO NUTRIENTS CONTENT IN THE LEAVES OF MURRAYA KOENIGII (L.) SPRENGE

The macro and micro nutrients content estimation was carried out for leaves of indigenous medicinal plant Murraya koenigii (L.) Sprenge collected from different places of North Karnataka region viz. Bidar, Kalaburagi, Shahapur, Sandur and Kappathgudda. About few kg of leaves of Murraya koenigii (L.) Sprenge plant material was collected and then they were washed in deionized water to eliminate contamination due to dust and environmental pollution. The washed leaves were air-dried under shade for more than a monthand then grinded to get fine powder. The powdered sample was heated at higher temperature to get ash. The obtained ash was digested with conc. HCl, deionized water and ash (25:25:1:950). The contents of macro, micro nutrients and harmful heavy meats such as K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mo, Cu, Mn, Zn, Al, V, Cd and Ti were estimated by an analytical atomic absorption spectrometry technique. The experimental results confirmed the presences of mineral nutrients which are beneficial to the human body and are within the limit. The heavy metal which are harmful to human body i.e., Cd, Al, within the limit but concentration of Al is absent for the leaves of Shahapur and Kappathgudda.