Akhtar Inam

Effects of urban wastewater on the growth, photosynthesis and yield of chickpea under different levels of nitrogen

The reuse of wastewater in agriculture for irrigation needs specific studies to evaluate its effect on different soils, crops and agro-climatic conditions. This study was therefore conducted to observe the suitability of wastewater for irrigation, and Cicer arietinum L.cv. avrodhi was used as a test crop. The experiment was conducted in the winter season of 2006–2007 to evaluate its effect together with the basal application of four doses of nitrogen (N0, N15, N30, N45, kg ha−1). Wastewater irrigation resulted in the increased growth, photosynthesis and yield of the crop. Lower fertilizer dose of nitrogen @ 15 Kg ha−1 together with wastewater irrigation proved optimum, resulting in greater leaf area, plant fresh weight, dry matter (DM), photosynthetic rate (PN) and stomatal conductance (gs) and leaf N content, number of pods per plant, 100 seed weight and protein content relative to control and even to higher N doses. Thus fertilizer rates could be lowered without reducing yields when using wastewater for irrigation. Physicochemical characteristics of wastewater were also tested and most of them met the irrigational quality, being well within the permissible limits set by FAO.

Comparative Effect of Wastewater and Groundwater Irrigation Along with Nitrogenous Fertilizer on Growth, Photosynthesis and Productivity of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

A study was made in the net house of Plant Physiology, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh to study the comparative effect of wastewater and groundwater along with three different rates of nitrogen (N) of 0, 30, and 60 kg ha−1 on growth, physiology and yield of two varieties of chilli cv. ‘G4’ and ‘Pusa Jawala’. Wastewater irrigation resulted significant increase in shoot and root length, fresh weight, dry weight, leaf number and area, net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), water use efficiency (WUE), chlorophyll content, and yield. The physio-chemical parameters of wastewater met the irrigational characteristics, being well within the permissible limit as outlined by the Food and Agriculture Organization. Among the nitrogen doses 30 kg ha−1 N along with wastewater proved best for the growth and yield. Thus it may be concluded that wastewater reduced the demand of fertilizers and it may be used for the cultivation of chilli.

Growth, physiological, yield and quality response in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) under wastewater irrigation and different levels of phosphorus.

Aims: India is one of the most densely populated, developing and industrially fast growing country of the earth that not only facing the problem of water scarcity, but also the mismanagement of tremendous amount of wastewater (WW) produced every day. Therefore a study was conducted in the Aligarh city of India on chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) cv. Pusa Sadabahar to observe the suitability of wastewater for irrigation along with different levels of phosphorus and how minimize the use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture by supplementing mineral nutrients through wastewater. Study Design: Factorial randomized block design Place and Duration of Study: The pot experiment was conducted during 2011-2012 in the net house of the Plant Physiology, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. Methodology: Three levels of water, 50% wastewater, 100% wastewater and groundwater (GW) were used along with four basal doses of phosphorus at the rates of 0, 20, 40 and 60kgPha with a uniform basal dose of nitrogen and potassium with the rates of 60kgNha and 50kgKha Original Research Article Iqbal et al.; AJEA, 5(1): 70-81, 2015; Article no. AJEA.2015.009 71 respectively. Fertilizers were applied one day before sowing. Both the waters and soil were analyzed for various physico-chemical characteristics. Results: All the growth, physiological, yields as well as quality parameters were recorded at 60 days after sowing. Results revealed that wastewater irrigation significantly increases the growth, photosynthesis, yield and quality of the chilli. Lower dose of phosphorus fertilizer at the rate of 40kg ha together with wastewater proved optimum and gave greater shoot and root length, shoot fresh and dry mass, leaf area, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, nitrate raductase, carbonic anhydrase, ascorbic acid and leaf nitrogen content than control and even to higher nitrogen doses along with groundwater. Conclusion: The wastewater proved an effective source of essential nutrients and even it could not be supplemented the whole nutrient requirement of the chilli but it can reduced the quantity of fertilizers because wastewater also a source of nutrients.

Effect of waste water and fly ash application on physiological determinants, yield, and heavy metal contents of yellow mustard (B. campestris cv. P. Gold)

ABSTRACT A pot experiment was conducted to study the comparative effect of waste water (WW) and ground water (GW) alone and along with different nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) combinations (N0P0K0, N40P15K15, N60P30K30, N80P45K45) together with different levels of fly ash (FA) (FA0, FA10, FA20), to obtain a suitable combination of fertilizers, FA and water based on the growth, physiology, yield, and heavy metal contents of Brassica campestris cv. Pusa Gold. Results revealed that WW irrigation proved beneficial over GW. All the parameters increased in both levels of FA10 and FA20 along with three doses of NPK but FA at 20 t ha−1 proved better. The effect was more efficacious with both wastes together which makes NPK optimum at N60P30K30 instead of N80P45K45 treatment combinations and thereby lowered input of fertilizers. Therefore, utilization of these wastes may be recommended for the purpose of irrigation, soil amendment, and as a source of nutrients in augmenting the mustard yield.

Modulation in growth, photosynthesis and yield attributes of black mustard (B. nigra cv. IC247) by interactive effect of wastewater and fly ash under different NPK levels

Abstract Waste for fertilization of crop plants has received attention during recent years. The present experiment was conducted for a year on Brassica nigra cv. IC247 using two wastes, i.e. fly ash and wastewater with fertilizers and without fertilizers. The crop was irrigated with ground water and wastewater alone and along with the application of different levels of fly ash (FA0, FA10 and FA20) and different levels of NPK (N0P0K0, N40P15K15, N60P30K30 and N80P45K45). Growth, photosynthesis and yield attributes of the test crop were evaluated at different plant age (A). Result showed that wastewater with fertilizers enhanced growth, photosynthesis and yield parameters as compared to that of ground water with fertilizers. The use of fly ash at 20 t ha−1 performed better than 10 t ha−1. Furthermore, the interactive use of wastewater and fly ash proved to be applicable in making N, P and K optimum at their lower doses, as maximum enhancement in growth, photosynthesis and yield was observed with N60P30K30FA20 + WW and further input of N80P45K45FA20 + WW was not beneficial. It was due to the application of fly ash and wastewater has shown the improvement in physiochemical properties of soil and also in the nutrient status.