MenuISSN (0970-2083)
ISSN (0970-2083)
B. Shyamaia Vijayavathi, M. Poonkothai and P. Maheswari
Department of Life Sciences (Zoology), Avinashilingam Deemed University, Coimbatore 641 043,T.N., India
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Physico-chemical characterisation of Orathupalayam reservoir water, Tirupur, Tamilnadu indicated that the vaiues for pH, EC, TS, TSS, TDS, Total alkalinity, TH, DO, BOD, COD, free C02) Ca, Mg, chloride, sulphate, phosphate and nitrites were on the higher side of the permissible limits of BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards). Present investigation deais with the growth performance study of pearl millet on the reservoir water, which reveals that the soils of control site and site 1 experienced minimum changes in soil properties due to irrigation with water and performed better than other sampling sites. Much affected was site 5 soil sample which produced lesser yield.
Physico-chemical parametrs, Growth performance.
Water is one of the basic needs of mankind and is vital to all forms of life which exist in lentic and lotic habitats. Reservoirs, such as pond, lake and river are extremely important because they are endowed with abundance of natural resources. With increasing industrialization, huge amount of wastes and a wide variety of pollutants are being produced everyday and the effluents are discharged into nearby stream or to the ground surface. Tirupur is known for its hosiery and knitwear products from which approximately 75,COO rrrof effluents are generated daily and other industrial wastes were let into the near by Noyyal river or into open lands and agricultural fields without proper treatment. All these mixed effluents are in turn flown into Orathupalayam dam, near Tirupur which is constructed to facilitate irrigation. Its water was reported to be highly brackish as it contained about 70,000 mg/L of total dissolved solids (Jacks et al. 1994). The present investigation was undertaken to assess the physico-chemical parameters of Orathupalayam dam water and to study the growth performance of pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides ICMV - 221) with the reservoir water.
Water samples were collected in a clean plastic container from Orathupalayan Reservoir, Tirupur District, Tamil Nadu, in Juno 2002 and stored at 4°C until analysis was done. The samples were analysed for its physico-chemical parameters such as colour, odour, temperature, EC, Total solids, TDS, TSS, pH, Total alkalinity, TH, Free Co2, DO, BOD, COD, Ca, Mg, chloride, sulphate, phosphate and nitrites (APHA, 1992).
Soli samples from 5 different sites, ie., within 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 km distance from the reservoir was collected. The impact of the reservoir water was tested with the above soil sample and the growth performance of pearl millet was studied.
The seeds were treated with 0.1 % mercuric chloride for 2 minutes and washed thrice under sterile water to remove surface contamination. Ten uniform sized, clean healthy seeds were sown in the soil samples collected from the reservoir area, which were filled in the pots. A control soil collected from local area where the reservoir water did not flow was also maintained. Thinning was done after establishment of seeds in each pot. Finally 5 plants were maintained in each experimental pots. The pot were irrigated with undiluted reservoir water everyday and plants irrigated with tap water was treated as control. Each treatment including control was replicated thrice. Seed germination was observed after one week and growth parameters were analysed after 90 days. Growth parameters such as height and weight of the plants, number and weight of the grains were measured and the data obtained were analysed statistically.
The physico-chemical characteristics of Orathupalayam reservoir water are given in Table 1. The data revealed that the reservoir water was colourless and odourless. Electrical Conductivity rewarded 11.67 + 1-24μmhos/cm indicating high salinity. pH of the reservoir water was alkaline in nature which may be due to the discharge of carbonates, bicarbonates, calcium, magnesium, caustic soda and bleaching powder used in the processing of textile fibres (Adoni and Yadav, 1985). Total solids were found to be high.
Table 1 Physico-chemical parameters of Orathupalayam reservoir water
Hardness of water is high which varies from reservoir to reservoir, which may be due to their geological phenomenon (Khan et al. 1995). Total alkalinity is due to the biological oxidation of organic matter High C02 content in the reservoir is an indication of high organic pollution (Todd, 1970). Dissolved oxygen was observed to be low which indicates high pollution load. BOD was found to be higher than the limits, which may be due to the removal of impurities from natural fibres, which have biodegradable components. Other components such as surfactants, dyes and other organic material used in the process contributes to high level of COD (Juwarkar et al. 1998). The bleaching chemicals that are used in dyeing and printing processes may also increase the concentration of chloride, sulphate, phosphate and hardness of water. The parameters are indicative of water pollution.
The results obtained on the plant growth parameters of pearl millet are presented in Table 2. Maximum height of 43.6 cm was observed in plants grown in control site followed by site 1 plants (26.8 cm) respectively. The plant height of pearl millet grown in all the sons sampled near the reservoir area showed significant differences with that grown in control soil. Similar trends in plant weight was observed in plants grown in control and site 1 soils, and the weight decreased in the other sites compared to control. The number of grains produced and grain weight from the plants grown in control was maximum and a significant difference was observed in all the other soils when compared with control site.
Table 2 Growth performance of Pearl Millet grown in soils treated with Orathpalayam reservoir water
It is thus very essential to protect the water resources from being polluted by industries and other contaminants.
The authors wish to place their record of thanks to Dr.Sarojini Sukumar, Head, Department of Life Sciences and Zoology, Avinashilingam Deemed University, Coimbatore for the encouragement given to conduct this study.
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