Fertigation effect of distillery effluent on agronomical practices of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Fenugreek)

The fertigation effect of distillery effluents concentrations such as 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% were studied on Trigonella foenugraecu (Pusa early bunching) along with control (bore well water). On irrigation of soil with different effluents up to 90 days of harvesting, it was observed that there was a significant effect on-moisture content (P < 0.001), EC, pH, Cl-, total organic carbon (TOC), HCO3-, CO2-, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, TKN, NO32-, PO43-, and SO42- (P < 0.0001) and insignificant effect on WHC and bulk density (P > 0.05). There was no significant change in the soil texture of the soil. Among various concentrations of effluent irrigation, the irrigation with 100% effluent concentration decreased pH (16.66%) and increased moisture content (30.82%), EC(84.13%), Cl- (292.37%), TOC (4311.61%), HCO3- (27.76%), CO32- (32.63%), Na+ (273%), K+ (31.59%), Ca2+ (729.76%), Mg2+ (740.47%), TKN (1723.32%), NO32- (98.02%), PO43- (337.79%), and SO42- (77.78%), Fe2+ (359.91%), Zn (980.48%), Cu (451.51%), Cd (3033.33%), Pb (2350.00%), and Cr (2375.00%) in the soil. The agronomical parameters such as shoot length, root length, number of leaves, flowers, pods, dry weight, chlorophyll content, LAI, crop yield, and HI of T. foenum-graecum were recorded to be in increasing order at low concentration of the effluent, i.e., from 5% to 50% and in decreasing order at higher effluent concentration, i.e., from 75% to 100% as compared to control. The enrichment factor of various heavy metals was ordered for soil Cd>Cr>Pb>Zn>Cu>Fe and for T. foenum-graecum plants Pb>Cr>Cd>Cu>Zn>Fe after irrigation with distillery effluent.