Effect of Compost and Different Types of Wastewaters on Soil Properties and Wheat Crop Production

Abstract

Composted plant residues can minimize toxic effects of wastewater and ameliorate soil properties. In most regions of Punjab, crops including wheat are irrigated with wastewater, resulting in the accumulation of heavy metal in soil and plants. A pot experiment was conducted to assess the effect of compost amendment and various sources of irrigation water on soil properties and wheat growth using a completely randomized design (CRD) with a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement (two compost levels: with and without compost, and four irrigation water sources: textile industry effluent, sewage water, canal water, and groundwater), giving eight treatment combinations, each replicated three times, conducted at the Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Four sources of irrigation water (textile industry effluent, sewage water, canal water, and groundwater) were used both with and without compost (2.5%, w/w). Seeds of wheat cultivar Ujala-2016 were cultivated in pots and 5 seeds were planted in each pot. Growth and soil characteristics of wheat were greatly enhanced with the use of compost under each irrigation treatment. Compost raised the height of the plant (30.7%), spike length (6.77%), straw yield (9.97%), grain yield (11.9%), soil organ carbon (31.5%), soil water stable aggregates (38.6%), and lowered soil bulk density (2.2%). It was concluded that application of compost along with different types of wastewaters improved the soil properties and enhanced the wheat yield.