Dinesh Kumar SharmaSAUBHAGYA RANJAN PANDA2016-12-032016-12-032011http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/89004T-8542Sugar industries play an important role in the economic development of the Indian sub continent, but the effluents released produce a high degree of organic pollution in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. India has around 300 distilleries with a total installed capacity of 3250 million litres per annum and a current yearly production of 2300 million litres alcohol. Molasses, containing 8 per cent of sugar, serves as a cheap source of raw material for the production of alcohol. For the production of every litre of alcohol, nearly 14 to 15 litres of effluent is discharged, thus every day 1000’s of litres of effluent are discharged from the factory. In distillery industry, spent wash (effluent) obtained from yeast fermented molasses after removal of rectified spirit. The RSW is highly acidic and contains easily oxidisable organic matter with very high BOD, COD. Also, spent wash contains highest content of organic nitrogen and nutrients. This effluent along with high organic matter and potassium contents has significant levels of nitrogen which are important ingredient to soil fertility. Along with easily biodegradable organic matter, it also contains plant growth promoters like gibberellic acid (GA) and indol acetic acid (IAA).A study was carried out to assess the long-term application of secondary treated effluent to soil and its consequent impact on nutrient build up and crop yield of wheat. The study area comprised of 14 farmers’ fields (7 distilley effluent and 7 ground water irrigated fields) situated in Daurala in the district of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India,(Fig. 1) where a molasses-based distillery with the capacity of 300 KL alcohol per day is operating for the last 30 years. Seven farmers were chosen with fields close to each other (PMDE-amended), located near the distillery, where effluent was used as irrigation source for last 10 years at the rate of about 200 m3 ha−1 as pre-sown irrigation. Another set of seven farmers were chosen whose fields were close to each other (unamended-control), located 1 km away from the distillery, where no effluent was applied and irrigation was provided only from groundwater. First the effluent was analysed for its constituents then the two set of fields were analysed for its nutrient content of primary, secondary and micronutrients, and the uptake pattern of micronutrients in wheat grown in the two set of fields. It was observed that Two to three times application of dilute secondary effluent as a source of presown irrigation and subsequent irrigation with good water on a long term basis will sustain the yield level of wheat; along with bringing down the cost of cultivation of farmer by enriching the soil with many nutrients. Dilute doses of effluent application for a long period will gradually build up the soil N , K, organic carbon ,Ca, Mg, and with practically no increase in phosphorous content but act as an enhancer of soil micronutrients like Fe, Mn, Zn, which was ultimately reflected in nutrient enrichment of grain.Thesis