Treated Livestock Wastewater Irrigation Is Safe for Maize (Zea mays) and Soybean (Glycine max) Intercropping System Considering Heavy Metals Migration in Soil–Plant System

Abstract

Water deficit is a major problem affecting crop production worldwide. The use of treated wastewater in irrigation systems improves soil health and enhances crop growth and productivity. However, it has been characterized as a source of heavy metals. The unknown is how heavy metals’ movements would be impacted under an intercropping system when irrigated with treated wastewater. Understanding the dynamic of heavy metals in soil–plant systems is essential for environmental risk assessment and sustainable agriculture. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to explore the effects of treated wastewater irrigation on plant growth, soil chemical properties, and the movements of Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd from soil to plants in monoculture and intercropping systems. Maize and soybean were selected as the test crops and groundwater and treated livestock wastewater as the water sources. This study found that treated wastewater irrigation and intercropping systems synergically increased the soil nutrient content and crop growth. The concentrations of Zn, Pb, and Cd were significantly higher in leaves compared to other plant parts contrastingly to Cu, which was higher in roots. In addition, treated wastewater irrigation increased grain nutrient content in mono- and intercropping systems while the concentration of heavy metals was in the acceptable range for human consumption. The enrichment degree of Cu and Pb due to treated livestock wastewater irrigation relative to groundwater irrigation was higher in uncultivated soil compared with cultivated soil. This study showed that the intercropping system facilitated heavy metals’ transfer from soil to plant except for Cd. These findings provide guidelines for a safe utilization of treated wastewater in agricultural systems and to reduce freshwater use pressure.