Effect of short term irrigation with treated and untreated wastewater on growth and physio-biochemical parameters of wheat

Abstract

Pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the possibility of use of treated and untreated wastewater for irrigation. Wastewater samples collected from electroplating, steel processing industrial units and common effluent treatment plant (CETP) were treated with Salvinia biomass. Wheat (Triticum aestivum), the staple food crop was chosen for the study. Seeds were sown in pots and irrigated with treated and untreated wastewater. Plants irrigated with tap water were designated as control. The growth of wheat was assessed at seedling and pre-flowering stages using various physiological and biochemical indices. The results obtained from the studies conducted for two consecutive seasons in net house indicated that levels of total chlorophyll, glucose, protein and photosynthetic efficiency was not significantly affected in plants irrigated with treated wastewater in comparison to those irrigated with tap water at both seedling and pre-flowering stages. In contrast, plants irrigated with untreated wastewater showed significant alteration in all the parameters at all the growth stages in comparison to control. The studies suggested that the treated wastewater can be used for irrigating crop plants as plant growth was not significantly affected.