Reuse of treated wastewater in agricultural irrigation

The impact of sewage irrigation was evaluated based on the agronomic characteristics, nutrient composition, heavy metal content and health quality of Trigonella foenum-graecum grown in the field and in the plastic greenhouse, with and without the addition of cattle manure as fertilizer. The control water was groundwater from the growing area. The field crop was more productive than the greenhouse crop. The factors of irrigation water quality and fertilizer use did not significantly affect the vegetative and reproductive development of the crop. Physiologically, an accumulation of nutrients in the aerial parts of the plants was observed. The plants in the greenhouse were richer in Na, K and P than those in the field. Finally, the bacteriological analysis concluded that the location of the crop, the quality of irrigation water and the use of fertilizers did not significantly influence the sanitary quality of the cultivated plants.