Depletion in basic soil components and increased heavy metal load is associated with declined saffron growth in Kashmir valley region

Health risk assessment of heavy metals in saffron (Crocus sativus L.) cultivated in domestic wastewater and lake water irrigated soils

“…The heavy metal contents of BW-, DW-, and SLW-irrigated soils followed the respective decreasing trends: Fe > Cu > Zn > Mn > Pb > Cr > Hg > Ni > Se > Cd > As, Fe > Cu > Zn > Mn > Cr > Cd > As > Pb > Hg > Ni > Se, and Fe > Cu > Zn > Mn > Cr > Cd > Pb > As > Se > Hg > Ni. Increased HMs may result in decreased growth and yield of saffron plants along with reduced quality of the final product [ 36 ].…”

“…However, such a strategy cannot reduce nitrogen leaching resulting from traditional fertilization techniques [ 35 ]. Moreover, its high enclosure of HMs has been reported to induce depletion of basic soil components, i.e., soil moisture, organic matter, and available phosphorus contents, along with reduced saffron growth [ 36 ]. Although a transition from chemical fertilization to organic farming was proposed [ 37 ], the use of effluents highly rich in organic matter, HMs, BOD 5 , and COD contents for saffron irrigation is a matter of deep discussion and the unraveling of its long-term effect on soil, plant, and human health is still unclear.…”