EVALUATION OF MANURE POTENTIAL OF PHYCOREMEDIATED ALGAL BIOMASS ON BABY CORN AND SPINACH
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Date
2019
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND CLIMATE RESILIENT AGRICULTURE ICAR-INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE NEW DELHI
Abstract
Improvement of soil fertility and agricultural productivity is the need of today to meet
the increasing demand for food security. To satisfy the need for environmental and food
sustainability, we have to recycle and reuse of resources. The wastewater grown
microalgae are exceptional in providing the NPK to the soil after phycoremediation and
biofuel extraction. In the present study microalgae, Chlorella minutissima was selected
for phycoremediation. C. minutissima reduced nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, and
potassium content in sewage wastewater by 89 %, 48.2 %, 67.4 %, and 66.3 %
respectively. The reduction in BOD, COD, and TDS was 93.2 %, 80.5 % and 94.3%
respectively. Although, C. minutissima can effectively reduce the EC, TDS, P, K, NH4
+
,
NO3
-
, BOD and COD within 15 days of inoculation. The algal biomass, urea and algal
biomass with urea was applied to bay corn and spinach. The application of 100% N
dose by algal biomass lead to higher or equivalent economic yield of spinach and baby
corn as compared to yield obtained by supply of recommended dose of chemical
fertilizer. The enzymes urease, nitrate reductase, and dehydrogenase were analysed in
baby corn and spinach grown soil after 30 days of sowing. The soil supplied with 100
N by algae biomass (C. minutissima) significantly (P=0.05) increased the
dehydrogenase activity in spinach grown soil. While the nitrate reductase activity in
soil supplied with alga manure was maximum (0.13 mg NO2
-N produced g-1 soil
24 h-1) and significantly higher than other treatments in baby corn grown soil. Nitrate
leaching was analysed during the experiment from 0-15 cm, 15-30 cm, 30-45 cm depth
soil in column. The cumulative nitrate leaching was low (17.19 mg/L) in algae applied
treatment, while highest (24.69 mg/L) in plot supplied with recommended dose of NPK.
Hence algal manure is best in terms of complete utilization of N with minimal leaching.
Therefore it can be concluded that phycoremediation coupled with manure production
from algae biomass is sustainable practice to reduce pollution, recycling of wastewater,
and improve the soil quality.
Key words: Phycoremediation, Chlorella minutissima, Algae manure, Nitrate
leaching, Spinach, Baby corn
Description
T-10272
Keywords
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