Abstract
Optimising nutrient availability and minimising plant metal contamination are vital in sustainable agriculture. This paper reports experiments in which treated leachate was used at different concentrations with predetermined N content for fertigation of Brassica rapa L. (leafy vegetable). An inorganic fertiliser, with N content equivalent to the leachate amount, was also prepared, as well as a control. Growth (leaf length, leaf width and stem height), harvest parameters (total number of leaves, root length and root dry weight) and specific growth rates (mm/day) were determined for three consecutive seasons. The dry weights of leaves, roots and stems in the leachate treatments were within the ranges of 1.95–3.60 g, 1.18–3.60 g and 0.33–1.37 g, with biomasses of 1.75 g, 1.14 g and 0.2 g, respectively, which were higher than those of the control. B. rapa L. fertigated with 25% diluted treated leachate recorded high specific growth rate and a leaf length of 0.53 mm/day and 0.23.17±0.58 cm, respectively (%N=0.023; p<0.05). The maximum permissible mineral concentration set by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) was compared with that of the grown plants. Treated leachate can increase plant nutrient content.
Highlights
Fertigation is the technique of supplying dissolved fertiliser to crops through irrigation systems
Health risks caused by heavy metal contamination of soil have been widely reported.[7,8,9,10,11,12]
This study revealed that K, Ca, Mg, Na, Al, and Fe were the most dominant minerals present in the plant
Summary
Fertigation is the technique of supplying dissolved fertiliser to crops through irrigation systems. Risk assessment of heavy metal accumulation in wastewater irrigated leafy vegetables, such as palak (Beta vulgaris L.), amaranthus (Amaranthus caudatus L.), and cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) was reported by Anita et al.[6] Intake of metalcontaminated vegetables is a pathway for heavy metal toxicity to humans.[13,14] Intawongse and Dean[15] determined the bioavailability of Cd, Cu, Zn and Mn in the human gastrointestinal tract from the edible part of the vegetables by using an in-vitro gastrointestinal extraction technique They found that the edible portions of ‘lettuce and radish’ are more responsible than other vegetables for heavy metal accumulation in humans
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