Impact of Paper Mill Treated Effluent on the Yield of Certain Agricultural Crops

The treated effluent was collected from JK paper mill from its outlet. The physico-chemical characteristics of paper mill treated effluent were measured. The most of the quality parameters were found to be below the permissible limits prescribed by Indian irrigation water standard, except electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids and alkalinity. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of three irrigation treatments viz. treated paper mill effluent alone, best available water alone and both treatments alternatively on production of wheat, cabbage, green gram and groundnut. The study revealed that the irrigation with treated effluent significantly increased the fresh and dry biomass yield of all test crops as well as wheat equivalent yield compared to best available water. Total uptake of macro and micro nutrients were also affected significantly due to treated effluent irrigation treatment. Apart from soil fertility, irrigation with treated effluent significantly increased organic carbon, available N, P O , K O, Fe and Mn after harvest of the crops. However, 2 5 2 its application had negative impacts on the soil salinity and sodicity. From this study it can be concluded that if continuous use of treated effluent to any crops or trees in long runs, than it need to be assessed periodical status of soil salinity and sodicity.