Influence of Sugar Mill Effluent on Germination and Growth …
273
2 Materials and Methods
2.1 Analysis of Sugar Mill Effluent
The effluent sample was collected in precleaned, sterilized plastic containers from
the outlet of the sugar industry Cuddalore District, (Cuddalore sugar mills) during
January 2018 and March 2019 were stored at 4 °C till further investigation. Physicochemical parameters, such as colour, odour, pH, temperature, electrical conductivity
(EC), total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS),
chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total hardness (TH), total alkalinity (TA) and chloride (Cl
− ) were measured using standard
methods (APHA 2005).
2.2 Preparation of Different Concentrations of Effluent
The sugar mill effluent sample collected from the outlet of sugar mill industry was
treated as 100% raw effluent. The different concentrations (10, 25, 50, 75 and 100%)
of sugar mill effluent were prepared freshly using distilled water whenever necessary
(Lakshmi and Sundaramoorthy 2000). The concentrations were used for germination
studies.
2.3 Germination Studies
The healthy and uniform sized Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Fenugreek) and Brassica nigra (Mustard) seeds were selected and surface sterilized with 0.1% HgCl 2 for
2 min and then thoroughly washed with tap water. Twenty seeds were placed equidistantly in plastic trays filled with 100 g sterilized soil [clay + sand (1:1)]. The seeds
were irrigated with equal quantity of different concentrations of effluent and the seeds
irrigated with distilled water were treated as control. Five replicates were preserved
for each treatment including control. The seed germination percentage, shoot length,
root length, seedling fresh weight and seedling dry weight (Milner and Hughes 1968;
Sundaramoorthy et al. 2006; Sajani and Muthukkaruppan 2011) were taken and seed
vigor index, documented.
2.4 Germination
The number of seeds germinated in each concentration was analysed on the 15th day
and the germination percentage was calculated using the following formula.
273
2 Materials and Methods
2.1 Analysis of Sugar Mill Effluent
The effluent sample was collected in precleaned, sterilized plastic containers from
the outlet of the sugar industry Cuddalore District, (Cuddalore sugar mills) during
January 2018 and March 2019 were stored at 4 °C till further investigation. Physicochemical parameters, such as colour, odour, pH, temperature, electrical conductivity
(EC), total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS),
chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total hardness (TH), total alkalinity (TA) and chloride (Cl
− ) were measured using standard
methods (APHA 2005).
2.2 Preparation of Different Concentrations of Effluent
The sugar mill effluent sample collected from the outlet of sugar mill industry was
treated as 100% raw effluent. The different concentrations (10, 25, 50, 75 and 100%)
of sugar mill effluent were prepared freshly using distilled water whenever necessary
(Lakshmi and Sundaramoorthy 2000). The concentrations were used for germination
studies.
2.3 Germination Studies
The healthy and uniform sized Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Fenugreek) and Brassica nigra (Mustard) seeds were selected and surface sterilized with 0.1% HgCl 2 for
2 min and then thoroughly washed with tap water. Twenty seeds were placed equidistantly in plastic trays filled with 100 g sterilized soil [clay + sand (1:1)]. The seeds
were irrigated with equal quantity of different concentrations of effluent and the seeds
irrigated with distilled water were treated as control. Five replicates were preserved
for each treatment including control. The seed germination percentage, shoot length,
root length, seedling fresh weight and seedling dry weight (Milner and Hughes 1968;
Sundaramoorthy et al. 2006; Sajani and Muthukkaruppan 2011) were taken and seed
vigor index, documented.
2.4 Germination
The number of seeds germinated in each concentration was analysed on the 15th day
and the germination percentage was calculated using the following formula.