Impacts of Long- and Short-Term of Irrigation with Treated Wastewater and Synthetic Fertilizers on the Growth, Biomass, Heavy Metal Content, and Energy Traits of Three Potential Bioenergy Crops in Arid Regions

Mahmoud F. Seleiman, Nasser Al-Suhaibani, Salah El-Hendawy, Kamel Abdella, Majed Alotaibi and Ali Alderfasi
Additional contact information
Mahmoud F. Seleiman: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Nasser Al-Suhaibani: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Salah El-Hendawy: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Kamel Abdella: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Majed Alotaibi: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Ali Alderfasi: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-22

Abstract: The availability of suitable water is an important factor for increasing the cultivated areas and sustainability in arid (i.e., less than 200 mm precipitation per year) and semiarid regions (i.e., 200–700 mm precipitation per year). Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the impact of treated wastewater (TWW) and groundwater (GW) as well as synthetic fertilizers (50% and 100% of the recommended NPK dose; 150–150–60 kg N–P 2 O 5 –K 2 O ha −1 ) on the growth, biomass, energy traits, and macro and trace elements of maize ( Zea mays L.), sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.), and pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum L) grown in old cultivated (first location; L1) and virgin soil (L2 and L3) as potential bioenergy crops. The soil in L1 has been irrigated with treated wastewater for the last 15 years and continued to be irrigated with treated wastewater in this investigation. The virgin soil was divided into two parts: the first part was irrigated with TWW, and the second part was irrigated with GW. The experiments were laid out in a split-plot with a randomized complete block design with water treatments (TWW in old and virgin soil, and GW in virgin soil) in main plots, and the two treatments of fertilization (50% and 100% of the recommended NPK dose) were distributed randomly in subplots. Compared with the crops irrigated with GW, the crops irrigated with TWW, whether grown on old or virgin soil, showed higher plant height, total chlorophyll content, leaf area per plant, total biomass, energy content, and gross energy with low ash. They also contained higher (but lower than permissible limits) concentrations of macro-elements (NPK) and trace elements (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Ni, and Co). In addition, the application of a 50% recommended dose of NPK with TWW showed equivalent results to a 100% recommended dose of NPK on all measured parameters with few exceptions. In conclusion, the TWW can be used to irrigate field crops allocated for bioenergy production in arid regions because it does not harm the plants and environment. In addition, the 50% recommended dose of NPK fertilizer exerted no negative effects on the growth and energy production of field crops, thereby protecting the environment and reducing the leaching of excessive fertilizers into GW.

Keywords: bioenergy crops; wastewater; synthetic fertilizer; biomass; heavy metals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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