Effects of sewage wastewater irrigation on soil properties, crop yield and environment

Today, due to the constraint in availability of the freshwater for irrigation, waste water especially sewage water is being used for irrigation of agriculture fields. Experiment was conducted for a year on the agriculture form by using experimental crops such as wheat (AKW-1071), Gram (Jacky-9218), Palak (Pusa Jyoti), Methi (Kasuri) and Berseem (Multicut). These crops were irrigated with groundwater and domestic wastewater. Each crop was applied at recommended NPK dose of fertilizers for treatment. Use of the domestic waste water with fertilizers has shown the improvement in the physicochemical properties of the soil, crop yield and also in the nutrient status as compared to that of the resulted from the application of groundwater with fertilizer. The domestic wastewater irrigation applied for a season had no significant effects apart from, slight changes in salt solubility and alkalinity on a clay soil with sewage wastewater irrigation.

► The work is related to the use of the sewage waste water in irrigation field and a comparative study is made between the use of domestic waste water and sewage water.
► Experiment consist of three replications crops like wheat (Triticum aestivum), gram (Vigna radiate), palak (Spinacia oleracia), methi (Trigonella foenum-graecum) and berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.).
► Application of sewage water increased the yield of Rabi crops compared to irrigation with well water; it also increased total N, P, K and organic carbon content of soil.
► The land with suitable topography, soil characteristics and drainage is available; sewage effluent can be put to good use as a source of both irrigation water and plant nutrients.