EFFECTS OF WASTE WATER TREATMENT METHOD ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF CUCUMBER (CUCUMIS SATIVUS L.)

Abstract

The quality of water used for the cultivation of agricultural crops can determine the growth, yield and quality (chemical and nutrition). Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of physical filtration on waste water quality parameters, and on soil, growth, yield and proximate composition of cucumber. Waste waters (fish pond effluent and municipal waste water) including water from borehole, were subjected to physical filtration using sole and combination of filtration materials (granite, charcoal, rice husk, and river sand). Waste water quality parameters (physical, chemical and microbial) and the growth and yield characters in addition to proximate composition of cucumber were affected by sole and combined use of filtration materials. Sole use of filtration materials (granite, charcoal, rice husk, and river sand) improved the physical, chemical and biological properties of waste waters while these quality parameters were further enhanced upon treatment with combined filtration materials. Total solid (TS), total dissolved solid (TDS) and total suspended solid (TSS) were highest in untreated municipal waste water (T7) while pH and EC were highest in untreated fish pond effluent (T1). Soil organic carbon, available P, Ca and N were highest in soil irrigated with fish pond effluent filtered with rice husk (T5). Organic carbon and CEC were higher for soil irrigated with municipal wastewater filtered with charcoal (T9). Significantly lower microbial population was obtained for treated waste waters but heaviest microbial loads were obtained for untreated fish pond effluent (T1) and municipal waste water (T7). The effects of waste waters treated with sole and combined filtration materials varied on the growth and yield characters of cucumber. Fish pond effluent filtered with rice husk (T5) significantly improved growth of cucumber, while cucumber yield was significantly increased upon treatment with municipal waste water filtered with rice husk (T11). The growth and yield variables of cucumber were further enhanced when irrigated with waste waters treated using combined filtration materials. The proximate composition and microbial loads of cucumber fruits were affected by waste water treatment using sole and combined filtration materials. Crude fibre and crude protein and carbohydrate contents of cucumber fruits were affected by irrigation using waste water filtered with sole and combined filtration materials. Combined use of filtration materials enhanced other cucumber fruits quality parameters (ash, protein and fat) and reduced microbial loads (faecal coliforms and total coliforms). Filtration of waste waters (fish pond effluent and municipal waste water) including bore hole water using sole and combination of filtration materials improved wastewater physical, chemical and microbial parameters as well as the growth and yield characters and proximate composition of cucumber fruits. Therefore, sole and combined use of physical filtration materials for waste waters is recommended for the production of cucumber using granite, charcoal, rice husk, and river sand.