Impact of Sugar Industrial Treated Effluent on the Growth Factor in Sugarcane—Cuddalore, India

Abstract

The present study focused on evaluating the impact of application of sugar industry treated wastewater effluent on Sugarcane growth comparing at two experimental farms, one irrigated with the effluent and the other with bore well water, over a period of 11 months (March 2010 to January 2011).The result indicated a significant increase in growth pattern, plant height, shoot diameter, number of leaves and nodes, and biomass of the saplings that was irrigated with the effluents compared to that irrigated with bore well water. The growth parameters showed close relationship with the nutrient contents of treated industrial effluent and bore well water, the former being characterized by relatively higher pH, electrical conductivity (μs/cm), total suspended solids (TSS), sulphate, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, nitrate and phosphate, and heavy metals-Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn and Mn (mg/l) compared to that of bore well water, indicating profound influence of nutrient rich sugar industry effluent on the plant growth. Higher biomass in sugarcane saplings resulted with irrigation of the effluents compared to that irrigated with the bore well water.

The Characteristics, Effects, and Treatment of Wastewater in Sugarcane Industry

“…Siddiqui and Waseem (2012) studied the effect of treated and untreated sugar industry water on Bajra, Gram, Maize, and Wheat. Same type of study has been done by other scholars (Damodharan and Reddy 2012) for Cuddalore and Arachis hypogaea (Peanut), Vigna radiata (Green Gram) (Santhi and Pandian 2012), pine (Czabator 1962), Vigna angularis, Vigna cylindrical, and Sorghum cernum (Doke et al 2011), wheat, garden pea, black gram, and mustard (Nath et al 2007), paddy Samuel and Muthukkaruppan 2011).…”

Physicochemical Properties of Sugar Industry and Molasses Based Distillery Effluent and its Effect on Water Quality of River Musamya in Uganda

“…In this study, it is therefore important to assess the levels of pollutants and understand their effect on the environment and recommend appropriate mitigation measures. Studies on characteristics of wastewater effluents from selected sugar mills and their impact on the growth and biochemical characteristics of terrestrial and aquatic plants have been carried out elsewhere [6,8,9]. However, there is scanty of information regarding ecological studies to examine water quality and natural biodiversity of bodies receiving sugar mill effluents in Uganda.…”

Application of Stochastic Frontier Production Function in Sugarcane Industry-treated Wastewater Reuse in Agriculture: Case Study of a Coastal District in Tamil Nadu, India

“…Due to these constraints, the farmers are using sugarcane industry wastewater to increase the soil fertility, but their awareness of the wastewater quality is zero in the surrounding study location, and it is adversely affecting human health (skin) and the environment in the long term. Damodharan and Reddy (2012) rightly argue that the sugarcane industry’s treated wastewater is positively impacting the growth of the crop as shown in the control and treatment experiments in the Cuddalore district. However, researchers fail to address the impact of the treated wastewater on the soil, humans and the market associated with the industrial wastewater.…”

“…In recent years, increasing deficiency in soil fertility due to fertiliser usage and lack of productivity is diverting farmers to look for alternative sources to increase soil fertility and crop productivity. A rising trend of using wastewater (industrial effluents) for irrigation has an added advantage of pollution removal as the pollutants are partly taken up by the plants and partly transfused in the soil without causing any damage (Damodharan & Reddy, 2012). In many parts of the world, treated effluents have been successfully used for irrigation, and researchers have recognised the benefits (Adekola, Salami, & Lawai, 2003).…”