Impact of sugar factory effluent on the growth and biochemical characteristics of terrestrial and aquatic plants.

The physico-chemical characteristics of sugar industry effluent were measured and some were found to be above those limits permissible in the Indian irrigation water standard. A pot study was initially conducted to study the effects of different concentrations (20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%) of sugar factory effluent on seed germination, seedling growth and biochemical characteristics of green gram and maize. A similar study was also carried out using the aquatic plants, water hyacinth and water lettuce. The higher effluent concentrations (above 60%) were found to affect plant growth, but diluted effluent (up to 60%) favored seedling growth.