Volume 20
Issue 4/volume20
Agronomy
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
DOI:10.30825/5.ejpau.31.2017.20.4, EJPAU 20(4/volume20), #04.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume20/issue4/volume20/abs-04.html
INVESTIGATING PLANT GROWTH AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO SOIL WETTING WITH GREY WATER UNDER DIFFERENT SHADE REGIMES: A CASE OF FLUTED PUMPKIN (TELFAIRIA OCCIDENTALIS)
DOI:10.30825/5.EJPAU.31.2017.20.4
Beckley Ikhajiagbe1, Geoffrey Obinna Anoliefo1, Edokpolor O. Ohanmu2, Gloria O. Omoregie3, Thomas Uwagboe1
1 Environmental Biotechnology and Sustainability Research Group, Department of Plant Biology & Biotechnology, Univ. of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
2 Department of Plant Biology & Biotechnology, Edo University, Iyhanmo, Nigeria
3 Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Fed. Univ. of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Limited supplies of freshwater are of concern worldwide. The ever growing demand for water for agricultural purposes warrants the need for alternative water sources for irrigational purposes. Soap-based grey water was used to irrigate fluted pumpkin plants (Telfairia occidentalis) at different frequencies of wetting for a period of 3 months; this was coupled with the concomitant effects of shading conditions. The results obtained showed that grey water had favourable effects on the growth and yield of Telfairia occidentalis, having little or no effect on the proximate content. With regard to yield, determined herein as number of leaflets, since the plant is majorly utilized for its leafy vegetable, was better under partial shade; no significant differences were recorded for leaf area under various shading conditions. Increased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in higher plants, as reported in this study, is an indication of disturbed physiological stress condition, triggered by biotic stress condition. Thus grey water can serve as alternative source of irrigation while augmenting with fresh water.
Key words: grey water, physiological stress, Telfairia occidentalis, shading regime, proximate content, irrigation, water security.
Beckley Ikhajiagbe
Environmental Biotechnology and Sustainability Research Group, Department of Plant Biology & Biotechnology, Univ. of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
email: beckley.ikhajiagbe@uniben.edu
Geoffrey Obinna Anoliefo
Environmental Biotechnology and Sustainability Research Group, Department of Plant Biology & Biotechnology, Univ. of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
Edokpolor O. Ohanmu
Department of Plant Biology & Biotechnology, Edo University, Iyhanmo, Nigeria
Gloria O. Omoregie
Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology, Fed. Univ. of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Nigeria
Thomas Uwagboe
Environmental Biotechnology and Sustainability Research Group, Department of Plant Biology & Biotechnology, Univ. of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.