Effects of wastewater irrigation on soil and cabbage-plant (brassica olerecea var. capitate cv. yalova-1) chemical properties

The use of wastewater for irrigation is increasingly being considered as a technical solution to minimize soil degradation and to restore nutrient contents of soils. The aim of this study is to increase fertility and minimize degradation of soils irrigated with wastewater exposed to different purification treatments. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of control and irrigation with wastewater, which had undergone different purification treatments, on macro- and micronutrient distribution within the soil profile and nutrient contents of cabbage (Brassica olerecea var. Capitate cv. Yalova-1) in Erzurum, Turkey. Wastewater irrigation and preliminary treatment-wastewater irrigation significantly affected soil chemical properties especially at 0-30cm soil depth and plant nutrient contents after one year. Application of wastewater increased soil salinity, organic matter, exchangeable Na, K, Ca, Mg, plant-available P, and micro-elements and decreased soil pH. Wastewater increased also yield and N, P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, and Mo contents of cabbage plants. Undesirable side effects were not observed in plant heavy-metal contents, due to salinity and toxic concentrations of metals from the application of wastewater to soil.