Use of wastewater for crop production under arid and saline conditions: yield and hygienic quality of the crop and soil contaminations

Raw (RW) and Waste Stabilization Ponds treated wastewater (TW) were used in comparison with groundwater (Control) for crop production under arid and saline conditions without any chemical fertilization. Four irrigation methods namely, surface, drip (with 2 systems “Bas Rhone” and “Rain bird”) and sprinkler irrigation were compared on each water type. The results of the 3-year-experimentation period were: a) TW applications instead of groundwater attenuated the detrimental effect of water salinity on the crop; b) Drip irrigation, “Bas Rhone” system, showed the highest irrigation performances and crop yields; c) the morphology and the way the crop was conducted were found to play an important role in determining its final bacteriological quality; d) TW irrigated crops and soils did not show any helminth eggs contaminations and e) Faecal coliforms were not isolated from the TW irrigated soil beyond the limit of 0.25 m.