Short-term effect of reclaimed water irrigation on soil health, plant growth and the composition of soil microbial communities.
- PUBLICATIONS
- Nov 1, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 hours ago
Short-term effect of reclaimed water irrigation on soil health, plant growth and the composition of soil microbial communities.
Authors: Magkdi Mola, Panagiotis G. Kougias, Evangelos Statiris, Penelope Papadopoulou, Simos Malamis, Nikolaos Monokrousos
Journal: Science of the Total Environment
Year: 2024
Keywords: Bacteria, Fungi, Aridity, Water scarcity, Microbial community structure
Highlights
Treated wastewater significantly increased plant biomass.
Treated wastewater did not affect alpha diversity of soil microbial communities.
Treated wastewater favored microorganisms associated with nutrient cycling.
Treated wastewater may alter soil microbial structure and stability.
Abstract
The scarcity of freshwater poses significant challenges to agriculture, often necessitating the use of alternative water sources such as reclaimed water. While reclaimed water offers a viable solution by providing water and nutrients to crops, its potential impacts on soil microbial communities remain a subject of investigation. In this investigation, we conducted a field experiment cultivating Maize (Zea mays) and Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), employing irrigation with reclaimed water originating from domestic wastewater, while control samples were irrigated using freshwater. Utilizing high-throughput sequencing, we assessed the effect of reclaimed water on soil bacteria and fungi. Plant biomass exhibited a significant response to treated wastewater. Alpha diversity metrics of soil microbial communities did not reveal significant changes in soils irrigated with reclaimed water compared to control samples. Reclaimed water, however, demonstrated a selective influence on microorganisms associated with nutrient cycling. Co-occurrence network analysis unveiled that reclaimed water may alter soil microbial community structure and stability. Although our work presents overall positive outcomes, further investigation into the long-term implications of reclaimed water irrigation is warranted.
Citation: Mola, M., Kougias, P.G., Statiris, E., Papadopoulou, P., Malamis, S. and Monokrousos, N., 2024. Short-term effect of reclaimed water irrigation on soil health, plant growth and the composition of soil microbial communities. Science of The Total Environment, 949, p.175107.
Link to publication: doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175107
SEL NTUA Innovation Pillars:
Related project:
