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eISSN: 2083-5906
ISSN: 1230-1485
ISSN: 1230-1485
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effect of Long-Term Application of Sewer Water
on Soil Properties and Plant Nutrient
Contents in the Drainage Basin Area
across Different Crop Seasons
1
Department of Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth,
Parbhani, 431401, Maharashtra, India
2
Department of Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
3
Henan International Joint Laboratory of Laser Technology in Agriculture Science, Zhengzhou 450002, China
4
Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity,
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710127, China
5
Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 171516, Egypt
6
Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University,
P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Submission date: 2024-10-26
Final revision date: 2025-01-23
Acceptance date: 2025-03-17
Online publication date: 2025-04-18
Publication date: 2026-04-21
Corresponding author
Papita. H. Gourkhede
Department of Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, 431401, Maharashtra, India
Department of Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, 431401, Maharashtra, India
Mukhtar Iderawumi Abdulraheem
Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China, College Of Electrical And Mechanical Engineering, , 450002, Zhengzhou,, China
Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China, College Of Electrical And Mechanical Engineering, , 450002, Zhengzhou,, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2026;35(2):2625-2638
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
With increasing water scarcity and the need for sustainable agricultural practices, the reuse of
treated wastewater for irrigation has gained attention. Although there are studies on the short-term
effects of wastewater irrigation, limited research focuses on the long-term implications across various
crop seasons in drainage basin regions. Hence, this study examines how the crop season has influenced
changes in soil characteristics and plant nutrient levels of sorghum and soybean crops after 40 years
of continuous sewage water application. The research employs a longitudinal field study where soil
samples are collected regularly from plots irrigated with sewer water. Plant samples were also analyzed
for nutrient concentrations to evaluate the impact on crop growth. Various analytical techniques,
such as soil testing, plant tissue analysis, and statistical methods, are utilized to interpret the data.
The study showed that 40 years of continuous application of sewage water significantly impacted the
crops’ different soil qualities and plant nutrients, specifically soybeans and sorghum. Similarly, the other
soil characteristics and nutrient levels of both crops were equally impacted by the agricultural season (rabi and kharif). While the values of bulk density, exchangeable K, and sulfur were greater in the kharif
season, higher levels of pH, EC, organic carbon, calcium carbonate, CEC, N, and P were discovered
in the rabi season. The grains of sorghum and soybean crops included higher levels of N, P, and S,
but the straws of the same crops contained higher levels of K. The study emphasizes the importance
of monitoring soil health and plant nutrition when using sewer water for irrigation in drainage basin
areas. Long-term wastewater application can positively and negatively impact soil fertility and crop
productivity, emphasizing the need for sustainable management practices. Future research could explore
the mechanisms underlying these changes and investigate potential remediation strategies to mitigate
adverse effects.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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| ISSN: | 1230-1485 |
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