Assessment of the effect of landfill leachate irrigation of different doses on wheat plant growth and harvest index: A laboratory simulation study

- Leachate generated from the municipal solid waste causes environmental pollution.
- Assess the suitability of landfill leachate irrigation for wheat plant grown at different dose of leachate.
- Assessment of heavy metal concentrations and growth pattern of wheat plant.
- Harvest index of wheat plants grown at different dose of leachate are calculated.
- Health risk assessment was carried out by the hazard quotient and hazard index.
- Optimum dose of leachate can be suggested for use as fodder.

The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of landfill leachate irrigation for wheat plant (Triticum aestivum) by evaluating the trace element accumulation, plant growth (shoot length, root length, number of leaves), and harvest index at different leachate dose rate soil. For the laboratory simulated irrigation, leachate sample was collected from the Ghazipur landfill site, Delhi which has an area of 30 ha and a dumping quantity of 2800 tons per day (TPD) of solid waste. The three treatment groups: control soil (C), fertilizer treated soil (C-F) and leachate treated soil with different concentration: C-L1 (50 ml), C-L2 (150 ml), C-L3 (300 ml), C-L4 (450 ml) and C-L5 (600 ml) were used for this experiment to assess the wheat plant growth under various treatments. Leachate irrigation on soil modified the physicochemical properties of soil by increasing the pH, EC (electrical conductivity), organic content, exchangeable nutrients, available phosphorous (Avail. PO4), total nitrogen (TN) and trace elements. Trace elements concentrations in soil and wheat grain were below the Indian permissible limit under various treatments. Growth parameters of wheat plant showed positive response at all leachate dose rate soil and fertilizer treated soil as compared to control soil. The highest harvest index (HI) found in 450 ml leachate dose rate soil (C-L4) due to higher number of grains suggests that leachate can be used as fertilizer. In order to estimate the potential health risk from trace elements by consuming wheat grain, hazard quotient and hazard index have been calculated. It has been observed that trace element risk was not noticeable except 600 ml leachate irrigated soil (C-L5). The study recommends that the optimum dose of leachate can be used as a fertilizer.