DOMESTIC SEWAGE WASTEWATER IRRIGATION ON QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF NAPIER GRASS (PENNISETUM PURPUREUM) AND ITS IMPACT ON COW MILK PARAMETERS REFERENCE TO ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY

Abstract

Domestic sewage wastewater irrigation for the agricultural fields is highly promoted for sustainable water resource management. The present case study investigated domestic sewage wastewater irrigation influences on the agro botanical parameters and biomass productivity of Napier grass. Further, the quality of milk (proximate and mineral composition) has also been checked from cows fed with wastewater-irrigated Napier grass. The study has been conducted in 5 different agricultural fields (4 wastewater irrigated fields and 1 well-water irrigated field as control (A-E)). The results of the study reveal that the physiochemical parameters of all the domestic wastewater samples were within the permissible limit of (FAO-1985)/(WHO-1993) and (BIS-1986) standards. However, all the parameters were found to be higher when compared with the control sample. Interestingly, the agro botanical characteristics of Napier grass grown in semiurban agro field (D) irrigated with wastewater were found to be significantly (P<0.05) higher. However, when compared to all experimental samples, significantly (P<0.05) higher values were observed for proximate compositions of both Napier grass and cow milk samples from agro field A (semi-urban). Moreover, macro-micronutrients and heavy metal profiles in the plant and milk samples were also found to be within acceptable/permissible limits. At this juncture, the results of the study reveal that, due to different mitigation measures, domestic sewage wastewater can be used as a potential organic liquid fertilizer, which will eventually reduce the extraction of freshwater and improve the wastewater reuse for the cultivation of such fodder crops and thereby ensure nature-based and sustainable water resource management.