Metal accumulation potential, human health risks, and yield attributes of hundred bread wheat genotypes on irrigation with municipal and remediated wastewater

This study was carried out to screen historical diversity panel of bread wheat against municipal wastewater (MW) and remediated wastewater (RW) irrigation to find tolerant and sensitive genotypes and their impact on yield attributes. The experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three water treatments, i.e., tap water (TW), RW, and MW. Yield attributes, health risk assessment, water and soil chemistry were recorded. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify tolerant and sensitive genotypes of wheat on the basis of metal accumulation. Metal accumulation in grains increased in pattern K > Fe > Zn in all irrigation treatments. Tolerant genotypes in MW showed lowest hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) values (adults 0.62; children 0.67) for Fe and Zn as compared to sensitive genotypes (adults 1.53; children 1.70). However, HI values in sensitive and tolerant genotypes of RW were recorded < 1. Mean values of yield attributes, i.e., plant height, spike length, spikelet per spike, grains per plant, biological yield, grain yield, and thousand kernel weight, were recorded in pattern, i.e., MW > RW > TW. In this study, yield attributes and human health are affected in both cases of higher and lower concentration of Fe and Zn metal. It is suggested that tolerant genotypes can prove useful for cultivation in areas receiving MW and also provide molecular breeding opportunities for seeking tolerance against metal stresses.

Automated summary

This study screened historical diversity panel of bread wheat against municipal wastewater and remediated wastewater irrigation to identify tolerant and sensitive genotypes. Metal accumulation in grains showed a pattern of K > Fe > Zn in all irrigation treatments, with MW having a greater impact on yield attributes and human health compared to RW and TW.