Fertigation of Brassica rapa L. using treated landfill leachate as a nutrient recycling option

Abstract

HOW TO CITE:Alaribe FO, Agamuthu P. Fertigation of Brassica rapa L. using treated landfill leachate as a nutrient recycling option. S Afr J Sci. 2016;112(3/4), Art. #2015-0051, 8 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/ sajs.2016/20150051 Optimising nutrient availability and minimising plant metal contamination are vital in sustainable agriculture. This paper reports experiments in which treated leachate was used at different concentrations with predetermined N content for fertigation of Brassica rapa L. (leafy vegetable). An inorganic fertiliser, with N content equivalent to the leachate amount, was also prepared, as well as a control. Growth (leaf length, leaf width and stem height), harvest parameters (total number of leaves, root length and root dry weight) and specific growth rates (mm/day) were determined for three consecutive seasons. The dry weights of leaves, roots and stems in the leachate treatments were within the ranges of 1.95-3.60 g, 1.18-3.60 g and 0.33-1.37 g, with biomasses of 1.75 g, 1.14 g and 0.2 g, respectively, which were higher than those of the control. B. rapa L. fertigated with 25% diluted treated leachate recorded high specific growth rate and a leaf length of 0.53 mm/day and 0.23.17±0.58 cm, respectively (%N=0.023; p<0.05). The maximum permissible mineral concentration set by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) was compared with that of the grown plants. Treated leachate can increase plant nutrient content.