Floral Diversity in the Vicinity of Sugar-Mill of Semikhera, Bareilly, UP, India

Abstract

Sugar industry is a crucial agricultural sector, producing large amounts of effluent affecting the environment. In order to study the effect of sugar mill effluents on native floral diversity in the locale of Kisan Sehkari Sugar Mill, Semikhera, Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), the physicochemical analysis of the mill’s effluents and native soil was carried out. pH, EC, TDS, TS, BOD, COD, and metals were recorded. Order of the heavy metal concentrations in soil and sugar mill effluent was: Fe> >Mg>, Cu>, Zn>, Ni>, Cr>, Pb>, Cd, and Fe>Mg>Zn>Cr>Mn>Cu>Pb>Co>Ni>Cd respectively and pH, EC, TDS, BOD, and COD were also significantly above the permissible limit. Extensive field surveys were conducted thrice a year to explore floral diversity. Results found a total 88 species of vascular plants. The Fabaceae family was found to be dominant, followed by Asteraceae, Moraceae, Apocynaceae, Solanaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Poaceae, Myrtaceae, and Amaranthaceae. Additionally, two species of pteridophytes from the families of Pteridaceae and Thelypteridaceae were also collected. As per taxonomic studies, 82% of species belonged to dicotyledons, while only 14% were monocotyledons. The present study’s results demonstrated that the effluents’ physicochemical properties are significantly higher compared to a permissible level determined by CPCB (2017). Dominant species were above 70 %, common species were 40 to 70% and rare species below 40 %. Overall results indicate the possibility of eco-restoration of waste disposal sites of sugar mill areas with these native species growing luxuriantly without showing any toxic effect.