Abstract
ABSTRACT: Irrigation using produced water, which is generated during crude oil and gas recovery and treated by the exploration industry, could be an option for irrigated agriculture in semiarid regions. To determine the viability of this option, the effects of this treated water on the nutritional status of plants should be assessed. For this purpose, we examined the nutritional changes in sunflowers after they were irrigated with oil-produced water and the effects of this water on plant biomass and seed production. The sunflower cultivar BRS 321 was grown for three crop cycles in areas irrigated with filtered produced water (FPW), reverse osmosis-treated produced water (OPW), or ground water (GW). At the end of each cycle, roots, shoots, and seeds were collected to examine their nutrient concentrations. Produced water irrigation affected nutrient accumulation in the sunflower plants. OPW irrigation promoted the accumulation of Ca, Na, N, P, and Mg. FPW irrigation favored the accumulation of Na in both roots and shoots, and biomass and seed production were negatively affected. The Na in the shoots of plants irrigated with FPW increased throughout the three crop cycles. Under controlled conditions, it is possible to reuse reverse osmosis-treated produced water in agriculture. However, more long-term research is needed to understand its cumulative effects on the chemical and biological properties of the soil and crop production.
Highlights
Irrigation using produced water, which is generated during crude oil and gas recovery and treated by the exploration industry, could be an option for irrigated agriculture in semiarid regions
70% of withdrawn surface and groundwater is used for agriculture (FRENKEN; KIERSCH, 2011), and so in an effort to conserve water, it is necessary to assess the use of wastewater in agricultural production (CHATZAKIS et al, 2011; CIRELLI et al 2012)
The irrigation treatments applied to the sunflowers during one or more of the crop cycles (Table 2) caused a significant variation in the plants’ nutrient accumulation
Summary
Irrigation using produced water, which is generated during crude oil and gas recovery and treated by the exploration industry, could be an option for irrigated agriculture in semiarid regions. Irrigação com OPW promoveu acúmulo de Ca, Na, N, P e Mg. Plantas irrigadas com FPW acumularam maiores teores de Na em raízes e parte aérea, e afetou negativamente a produção de biomassa e de grãos de girassol. Wastewater irrigation can raise the levels of nutrients and organic matter in the soil (XU et al, 2010; SINGH et al, 2012; BEDBABIS et al 2014; KHAJANCHI-LAL; MINHAS; YADAV, 2015) and the macronutrients in plant tissues (KIZILOGLU et al, 2008; PEREIRA et al, 2011; RODDA et al, 2011). Both of these may have a positive effect on agricultural production. There is no information on the reuse of wastewater obtained from oil wells (produced water) in agriculture, which, after it is treated, can be an attractive option, especially in regions where water is scarce
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