Samples of soils and leaves of wheat as well as rice crop were collected from 371 farmers' fields along a spring water nullah in which the sewage waters are also poured when it passes through the city of Ludhiana. In the sewage influenced areas the soils had lower pH, calcium carbonate and organic carbon contents. While available Cu was distinctly higher in such soils, the percentage of Zn-delicient samples was much lower. In such areas the concentrations of Cu and Fe in the wheat leaves were higher while those of Mn and S were lesser but rice leaves had higher concentrations of Zn, Cu, Fe as well as Mn.
Sewage, micronutrients, wheat, rice
