Organic Carbon and Nutrients Dynamics in Saline Soils Under Switchgrass Irrigated with Treated Municipal Wastewater.

Irrigation with alternative water sources is increasing in arid and semi-arid regions of the world to meet the ever increasing water needs of agriculture sector. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of treated municipal wastewater irrigation on concentrations of soil organic carbon, major nutrients in soil, nutrients and salt constituents accumulation in plant samples under greenhouse conditions. Results indicated that SOC and nutrients concentrations did not change significantly under switchgrass irrigated with wastewater. Expectedly fertilizers addition had a major influence on changes in nutrients concentration in root zone. Wastewater irrigation did not result in excessive accumulation of nutrients in plant tissue. While salt constituents such as sodium, chlorides and sulfates concentrations in soil increased over time as a result of wastewater irrigation, their concentration did not increase in plant samples, indicating the mechanism of salt exclusion by switchgrass that has implications for bioenergy feedstock quality.