Department of Botany, University of Mianwali, Mianwali, 42200, Pakistan.
Department of Botany, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, 44000, Pakistan.
BMC Plant Biol. 2024 Sep 12;24(1):855. doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05527-1.
Management of molasses-based wastewater generated in yeast and sugar industries is a major environmental concern due to its high chemical oxygen demand and other recalcitrant substances. Several strategies have been used to reduce the inland discharge of wastewater but the results are not satisfactory due to high operating cost. However, reuse of molasses-based wastewater irrigation in agriculture has been a major interest nowadays to reduce the freshwater consumption. Thus, it is crucial to monitor the impacts of molasses-based waste water irrigation on growth, metabolism, yield and nutritional quality of crops for safer consumer's health. In present study, carrot seeds of a local cultivar (T-29) were germinated on filter paper in Petri dishes under controlled conditions. The germinated seeds were then transplanted into pots and irrigated with three different treatments normal water (T0), diluted molasses-based wastewater (T1), and untreated molasses-based wastewater (T2), in six replicates. Results revealed that carrot irrigated with untreated molasses-based waste water had exhibited significant reductions in growth, yield, physiology, metabolism, and nutritional contents. Additionally, accumulation of Cd and Pb contents in carrot roots irrigated with untreated molasses-based waste water exceed the permissible limits suggested by WHO and their consumption may cause health risks. While, diluted molasses-based waste water irrigation positively enhanced the growth, yield of carrot plants without affecting the nutritional quality. This strategy is cost effective, appeared as most appropriate alternative mean to reduce the freshwater consumption in water deficit regions of the world.
由于高化学需氧量和其他难降解物质的存在，酵母和制糖工业产生的糖蜜基废水的管理是一个主要的环境关注点。已经采取了几种策略来减少内陆废水排放，但由于运营成本高，效果并不理想。然而，如今将糖蜜基废水用于农业灌溉以减少淡水消耗已成为主要关注点。因此，监测糖蜜基废水灌溉对作物生长、代谢、产量和营养品质的影响对于保障消费者健康至关重要。在本研究中，当地品种（T-29）的胡萝卜种子在培养皿中的滤纸上进行发芽，在受控条件下进行。然后将发芽的种子移植到花盆中，并分别用三种不同的处理方式进行灌溉：正常水（T0）、稀释糖蜜基废水（T1）和未处理的糖蜜基废水（T2），每个处理重复 6 次。结果表明，用未处理的糖蜜基废水灌溉的胡萝卜在生长、产量、生理、代谢和营养含量方面均显著降低。此外，用未处理的糖蜜基废水灌溉的胡萝卜根部积累的 Cd 和 Pb 含量超过了世界卫生组织建议的允许限值，其消费可能会带来健康风险。而用稀释的糖蜜基废水灌溉则可以在不影响胡萝卜营养品质的情况下，促进其生长和产量的提高。这种策略具有成本效益，是减少世界水资源短缺地区淡水消耗的最合适替代手段之一。
