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Response of Sweet Sorghum After Fertigation with Sugar Mill Effluent in Two Seasons

Sugar Tech volume 15, pages 285–299 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted to access the agro-potentiality of sugar mill effluent (SME) as fertigant, and an alternative of irrigation water. Fertigation response of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 % of SME doses on Sorghum bicolor L., cv. CSH 9, in the rainy and summer seasons was investigated. The fertigant concentration produced significant (P < 0.01) changes in EC, pH, OC, Na+, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, TKN, PO4 3−, SO4 2−, Fe2+, Zn, Cd, Cu, Mn and Cr of the soil in both seasons. The agronomic performance of S. bicolor gradually increased from 20 to 40 % concentration and decreased at 60 to 100 % concentration of SME fertigation in both seasons compared to controls. The optimum growth of S. bicolor was recorded with 40 % concentration of SME. The accumulation of heavy metals increased in soil and S. bicolor from 20 % to 100 % SME concentrations in both seasons. Biochemical components like crude proteins, crude fiber and crude carbohydrates were found maximum with 40 % SME in both seasons. The contamination factor of various heavy metals was in order of Mn > Zn > Cu > Cr > Cd for soil and Cu > Mn > Zn > Cr > Cd for S. bicolor in both seasons after fertigation with SME.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

BD:

Bulk density

BIS:

Bureau of Indian Standards

HI:

Harvest index

LAI:

Leaf area index

SME:

Sugar mill effluent

WHC:

Water holding capacity

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Acknowledgments

The University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India is acknowledged for providing the financial support in the form of UGC research fellowship (F.7-70/2007-2009 BSR) to Dr. Vinod Kumar.

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  1. Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, 249404, Uttarakhand, India

    Vinod Kumar & A. K. Chopra

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  1. Vinod Kumar
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Correspondence to Vinod Kumar.

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Kumar, V., Chopra, A.K. Response of Sweet Sorghum After Fertigation with Sugar Mill Effluent in Two Seasons. Sugar Tech 15, 285–299 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-013-0226-9

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Keywords

  • Sorghum bicolor
  • Sugar mill effluent
  • Fertigation
  • Heavy metals
  • Rainy and summer season