LAUSR

ABSTRACT A field experiment was conducted to study the biohydrological properties of soil and yield of Vigna unguiculata L. Walp irrigated with five concentrations of sugar mill wastewater (SMW) during the Kharif and Zaid seasons. Among various concentrations of SMW, irrigation with 100% SMW significantly (P < 0.001) increased zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (C), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and iron (Fe) of the soil, while decreased total bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, yeast, and rhizobia of the soil in both the cultivated seasons. However, the values of these metals were below the recommended permissible limit except Cd. Enrichment factor (Ef) of various heavy metals for soil was in the order Ni > Cr > Cd > Zn > Cu after irrigation with SMW. The crop yield of V. unguiculata was found to be inversely proportional to concentrations of SMW, with the best results being obtained at 50% SMW concentrations after 90 days of irrigation in both the cultivated seasons.