title: Effects of untreated and treated wastewater at the morphological, physiological and biochemical levels on seed germination and development of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.).
abstract: Wastewater reuse in agriculture may help mitigate water scarcity. This may be reached if high quality treatments removing harmful pollutants are applied. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of untreated (UTW) and treated wastewater (TW) on germination and seedlings development of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). UTW presented high turbidity (130 NTU), chemical and biological oxygen demand (COD, 719mgL-1, BOD5,291mgL-1) and metal concentrations. These levels caused mortality (18% for fescue), decreased germination speed in seeds (37.5% for alfalfa) and reductions of root and stem length in seedlings (80% and 22% respectively for alfalfa). Adverse effects on seeds germination were reflected at the biochemical level by increased H2O2levels (6 times for sorghum after 5days) and by increased Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (more than 600 times for sorghum roots) during seedlings development. When TW was used, these parameters were close to control seeds ones. They were also dependent on plant species and developmental stage. Therefore, for efficient reclaimed wastewater reuse in irrigation, suitable crops, displaying wide tolerance to toxic contents during germination and later seedling development stages have to be selected.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, University of Sfax, Tunisia; NextBiotech, 98 Rue Ali Belhouane, 3030 Agareb, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rekik
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, University of Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Zayneb
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chaabane
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, University of Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Missaoui
authors.affiliation: NextBiotech, 98 Rue Ali Belhouane, 3030 Agareb, Tunisia; Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Osaka, Sakai, Japan.
authors.forename: Ali Chenari
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bouket
authors.affiliation: NextBiotech, 98 Rue Ali Belhouane, 3030 Agareb, Tunisia; University of Veterinary Med. and Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Zoology and Radiobiology, Department of Biology and Genetics, Komenského 73, 04181 Kosice, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luptakova
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, University of Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elleuch
authors.affiliation: NextBiotech, 98 Rue Ali Belhouane, 3030 Agareb, Tunisia; Laboratory of Soil Biodiversity, University of Neuchatel, 11 Rue Emile Argand, CH-2000, Neuchatel, Switzerland. Electronic address: lassaad.belbahri@unine.ch.
authors.forename: Lassaad
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Belbahri
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000681:Amylases / Q000378:metabolism; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D031751:Festuca / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D000455:Medicago sativa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000187:drug effects; D059027:Recycling; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics*; D045868:Sorghum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000681:Amylases; D000975:Antioxidants; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D010940:Plant Proteins; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Effluent treatment; Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; Medicago sativa L.; Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench; Wastewater