Title: Integrated management of diluted distillery effluent and fly ash as a potential biofertiliser: a case study on the vegetative growth and chlorophyll content of the marigold plant, Tagetes patula

Authors: Kanchan Kumari; Nitish Ranjan; J.P. Sharma; P.K. Agarwal; R.C. Sinha

Addresses: CSIR-NEERI, Nehru Marg, Nagpur 440020, Maharashtra, India. ' Centre for Environment & Nature Conservation, Department of Zoology, Patna University, Patna 800005, Bihar, India. ' Centre for Environment & Nature Conservation, Department of Zoology, Patna University, Patna 800005, Bihar, India. ' United Spirit, Hathidah, Patna 8033001, Bihar, India. ' Centre for Environment & Nature Conservation, Department of Zoology, Patna University, Patna 800005, Bihar, India

Abstract: The distillery is one of the most polluting industries having high BOD and COD. Apart from the organic content, distillery effluent contains macronutrients such as nitrogen and potassium whereas fly ash produced by thermal power plants contains micronutrients such as iron, copper, manganese, zinc and boron essential for the proper growth of plants. Recently, ferti-irrigation in some states has adversely affected the soil and groundwater. Therefore, another option was considered to see the effect of mix of fly ash and diluted distillery effluent on the vegetative growth and photosynthetic pigments of the marigold plant, Tagetes patula in pot conditions. Vegetative growth such as branches, nodes, leaf area and the size of the flowers increased in the fly ash amended soil. Total chlorophyll, carotenoids and ascorbic acid are also more which proves that the mixture of fly ash and diluted spent wash may be used as a very good potential biofertiliser.

Keywords: PMDE; post-methanated diluted effluent; fly ash; distillery effluent; marigold; Tagetes patula; chlorophyll; carotenoids; ascorbate; biofertiliser; vegetative growth; photosynthetic pigments.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2012.049228

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2012 Vol.15 No.3/4/5/6, pp.275 - 290

Published online: 17 Dec 2014 *

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