ISHS Acta Horticulturae 481: International Symposium on Growing Media and Hydroponics
WASTEWATER RE-USE IN HORTICULTURAL CROPS GROWING IN SOIL AND SOILLESS MEDIA |
| Authors: | E. Maloupa, K. Traka-Mavrona, A. Papadopoulos, F. Papadopoulos, D. Pateras |
| Keywords: | hydroponics, perlite, zeolite, tomato, gerbera. |
| Abstract:
Treated wastewater was compared to standard nutrient solutions, in three different substrates (perlite, a 1:1 mixture of perlite and zeolite, and soil) using gerbera and tomato as test species. Treated wastewater and nutrient solution were applied by surface and subsurface drippers. Fertigation of gerbera, grown in soil and soilless media, with treated wastewater effluents decreased the total number of marketable flowers by 21% compared to fertigation with nutrient solution. The greatest yield discrepancy, between wastewater reuse and ordinary nutrient solution, was noticed in perlite where fertigation with wastewater effluents decreased yield by 44%. Subsurface drip irrigation gave significantly higher flower production, for all substrates and water qualities used, compared to surface drip irrigation. The total number and weight of marketable tomato fruits of plants fertigated with treated wastewater effluent decreased by 10 and 14%, respectively, compared to the plants fertigated with nutrient solution. As with gerbera cultivation, the greatest yield reduction, for plants fertigated with treated wastewater, was noticed in the two soilless substrates. The superiority of the subsurface drip irrigation was also noted, although it did not result in significant differences. | |
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