Maize (Zea mays) reaction in response to rubber rag additive into the soil

The amount of used and worn out tires around the world reaches about 10 million tons. Rubber introduction to the environment in this shape is connected with its pollution, caused by tires’ chemical composition, which, apart from synthetic and natural rubber, contain soot as a filler, plasticizers having some amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and helping substances: activators, accelerator of vulcanization, cross-link means and homogenizers. The most important activator is zinc oxide. The aim of the conducted studies was to determine the influence of rubber rag added to the subsoil on the amount of yield, physiological state and the amount of taken zinc by maize (Zea mays). It was found that the rubber rag introduced into the soil caused an increase in the yield of maize and the plants growing on the soil with the highest amount of rubber rag showing higher efficiency photosynthetic apparatus than others. The zinc content in the aboveground parts of maize increased with the increase of rubber rag in the soil.