Millet irrigation with treated wastewater: Gas exchange response and nutrient accumulation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Wastewater can be considered an excellent nutritional and water source for cultivated plants. However, the presence of high concentrations of salts and toxic compounds can negatively affect crops. The effect of irrigation with different concentrations of treated wastewater on the accumulation of nutrients and gas exchange aspects of millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) grown in clay soil and sandy loam soil was analyzed. This study was conducted in a greenhouse (16°40’57,50” S; 43°50’26,07” O; 650 m) in a 5 x 2 factorial design, consisting of five levels of concentration of treated wastewater (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%), combined with two types of soil (clay and sandy loam). The experiment was designed in randomized blocks with four replicates. The increase in treated wastewater concentration in irrigation water applied to clay soil and sandy loam soil favored the increase of net photosynthesis, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, leaf chlorophyll content and accumulation of macro- and micronutrients in millet plants. Millet plants grown in clay soil showed an average increase of 23% in gas exchange capacity and 71% in accumulation of macro- and micronutrients, when compared with treatments in sandy loam soil. Therefore, treated wastewater contributes to the increase in gas exchange capacity and greater accumulation of nutrients in millet plants, which represents an alternative for reduced demand for fresh water and use of chemical fertilizers.

Keywords

• Pennisetum glaucum
• water reuse
• nutrient absorption
• photosynthesis.