Biologically treated wastewater fertigation induced growth and yield enhancement effects in Vigna radiata L

Tahira Yasmeen, Qasim Ali, Faisal Islam, Ali Noman, M. Sohail Akram and M. Tariq Javed

Agricultural Water Management, 2014, vol. 146, issue C, 124-130

Abstract: In developing countries, wastewater fertigation for crop cultivation is a common practice. The wastewaters being used include both untreated and biologically treated, although the former predominates the later. Biologically treated wastewater has certain advantages, but its direct and indirect interference with soil properties and crop productivity has not been systematically documented. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of clean water, untreated and treated (biologically) wastewater on soil properties, growth and yield attributes of the mung bean (Vigna radiata L.). Pot experiments were conducted where plants were irrigated with three types of water; untreated wastewater, biologically treated wastewater and clean irrigation water (control). Results revealed that wastewater (biologically treated and untreated) fertigation led to soil basification as compared to control. Furthermore, pre- and post-harvest soil analysis revealed that initial nitrogen and phosphorus levels (N=8mgkg−1, P=5.2mgkg−1) decreased after clean water irrigation (N=0.9mgkg−1, P=1.1mgkg−1). Fertigation with biologically treated wastewater and untreated wastewater enhanced N and P where the former increased the levels moderately (N=39mgkg−1, P=47mgkg−1) while the later to toxic ones (N=61mgkg−1, P=75mgkg−1) as reflected from crop yield attributes. Application of untreated wastewater significantly decreased total soluble proteins, plant chlorophyll contents and the activities of carbonic anhydrase (CA), catalase (CAT) and aminocyclopropanecarboxylate oxidase (ACO) as compared with treated wastewater. However, biologically treated wastewater exerted no deleterious effects on the studied parameters, as compared with untreated wastewater and clean irrigation water, but significantly increased the plant biomass and yield. It is concluded that treatment of wastewater should be performed before its application to agricultural fields to maintain soil nutrient level and for sustainable crop productivity.

Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; Growth; Photosynthetic pigments; Vigna radiata; Wastewater; Yield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:146:y:2014:i:c:p:124-130

DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2014.07.025

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