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Recycling of domestic wastewater treated by vertical-flow wetlands for irrigating Chillies and Sweet Peppers

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  • Almuktar, S.A.A.A.N.
  • Scholz, M.
  • Al-Isawi, R.H.K.
  • Sani, A.

Abstract

Due to water scarcity in many arid countries, there is considerable interest in recycling various wastewater streams such as treated urban wastewater for irrigation in the agricultural sector. The aim was therefore to assess if domestic wastewater treated by different wetlands can be successfully recycled to water commercially grown crops. The objectives were to assess variables and boundary conditions impacting on the growth of two different types of peppers fed by domestic wastewater pre-treated by diverse mature constructed treatment wetlands. The growth of both Sweet Pepper (California Wonder; cultivar of Capsicum annuum Linnaeus Grossum Group) and Chilli (De Cayenne; C. annuum (Linnaeus) Longum Group ‘De Cayenne’) fed with different treated and untreated wastewater types were assessed. A few plants suffered from either a shortage and/or excess of some nutrients and trace minerals. The overall growth development of Sweet Peppers was poor due to the high concentrations of nutrients and trace minerals. In contrast, Chilies did reasonably well, but the growth of foliage was excessive and the harvest was delayed. High yields were associated with tap water and an organic growth medium, and a wetland with a high aggregate size, leaving sufficient space for biomass. Low fruit numbers correlated well with inorganic growth media and irrigation water contaminated by hydrocarbons. Findings indicate that nutrient concentrations supplied to the Chillies by a combination of compost and treated waste water are usually too high to produce a good harvest. However, as the compost is depleted of nutrients after about eight months, the harvest increased for pots that received pre-treated wastewater. The project contributes to ecological sanitation understanding by closing the loop in the food and water chain. Findings will lead to a better understanding of the effects of different wetland treatment processes on the recycling potential of their outflow waters.

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  • Almuktar, S.A.A.A.N. & Scholz, M. & Al-Isawi, R.H.K. & Sani, A., 2015. "Recycling of domestic wastewater treated by vertical-flow wetlands for irrigating Chillies and Sweet Peppers," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 1-22.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:149:y:2015:i:c:p:1-22
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2014.10.025
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Aiello, Rosa & Cirelli, Giuseppe Luigi & Consoli, Simona, 2007. "Effects of reclaimed wastewater irrigation on soil and tomato fruits: A case study in Sicily (Italy)," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 93(1-2), pages 65-72, October.
    2. Menegaki, Angeliki N. & Mellon, Robert C. & Vrentzou, Anna & Koumakis, George & Tsagarakis, Konstantinos P., 2009. "What's in a name: Framing treated wastewater as recycled water increases willingness to use and willingness to pay," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 285-292, June.
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    4. Kalavrouziotis, I.K. & Robolas, P. & Koukoulakis, P.H. & Papadopoulos, A.H., 2008. "Effects of municipal reclaimed wastewater on the macro- and micro-elements status of soil and of Brassica oleracea var. Italica, and B. oleracea var. Gemmifera," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 95(4), pages 419-426, April.
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    1. Suhad A. A. A. N. Almuktar & Suhail N. Abed & Miklas Scholz, 2018. "Contaminations of Soil and Two Capsicum annuum Generations Irrigated by Reused Urban Wastewater Treated by Different Reed Beds," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-25, August.
    2. Almuktar, S.A.A.A.N. & Scholz, M., 2016. "Mineral and biological contamination of soil and Capsicum annuum irrigated with recycled domestic wastewater," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 95-109.
    3. Magwaza, Shirly Tentile & Magwaza, Lembe Samukelo & Odindo, Alfred Oduor & Mditshwa, Asanda & Buckley, Christopher, 2020. "Evaluating the feasibility of human excreta-derived material for the production of hydroponically grown tomato plants - Part II: Growth and yield," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    4. da Silva Cuba Carvalho, Renata & Bastos, Reinaldo Gaspar & Souza, Claudinei Fonseca, 2018. "Influence of the use of wastewater on nutrient absorption and production of lettuce grown in a hydroponic system," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 311-321.

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