Wastewater-Based Nutrient Supply for Lettuce Production in the Infulene Valley, Maputo, Mozambique

Abstract

This research investigated the contribution of wastewater-based nutrient supply, viz., nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K), for lettuce production in the Infulene Valley, Mozambique, from July to September 2019. The research was conducted in groundwater- and wastewater-irrigated agricultural plots. Water samples were collected weekly, soil samples were collected before planting and after harvest, and lettuce samples were collected at harvest time. The nutrient content (N, P, and K) was measured, and a mass balance method was applied. Wastewater had distinctly higher nutrient contents than groundwater, which guaranteed crop nutrition during the growing stage. Wastewater contributed 88%, 96%, and 97% to the N, P, and K requirements, respectively. The crop yield in the wastewater-irrigated areas was 43,8 ± 16 tons/ha, which was higher than 35 ± 8 tons/ha observed for the groundwater-irrigated areas, but results showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusively, wastewater led to reduced soil-nutrient gap and can be a source of nutrients. Therefore, wastewater is regarded as an alternative nutrient source of interest, and if properly applied, it might reduce environmental health hazards, resulting from run-off or leaching of excess nutrients