Influence of using treated wastewater with moringa seeds and chitosan on wheat growth and uptake of nutrients and heavy

        The present study was carried out to treat wastewater and investigate its impact on wheat growth, uptake of nutrients and heavy metals. To achieve this task, two experiments were conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University-Cairo-Egypt, during winter season of 2014. The 1^st (lab experiment) was for treatment wastewater by using moringa seeds and chitosan with different doses (0.5, 1 and 2g/l as powder and 1, 2 and 3 % as extract). The 2^nd (pot experiment) was carried out to investigate the effect of the previously treated wastewater on wheat growth, uptake of nutrients and heavy metals.
The main results from the first experiment showed thatheavy metals concentration in wastewater decreased significantly by increasing the addition of the added materials. Moringa seeds and chitosan as powders were more effective than its extracts. Results from the second experiment indicated that there was an increase in both fresh and dry weight of wheat plant irrigated with treated wastewater compared with control. Also, the highest values were observed at the highest dose of chitosan extract (3%).  On the other hand, the uptake of N, P and K by wheat plants increased significantly by increasing the added materials. Moreover, the heavy metals uptake by wheat plant (µg/plant) was decreased by addition of the treated materials.