In 2008, vegetable growers observed stunted lettuce plants showing signs of chlorosis and wilting. It was suspected that monochloramine in the recycled water used for irrigation, in combination with extreme environmental conditions (high irrigation water salinity and extreme heat), was responsible for these crop failures. A series of glasshouse studies was conducted to evaluate the impact of monochloramine concentration alone on iceberg lettuce seedlings, as well as in combination with high salinity and hot ambient temperatures. Monochloramine concentrations up to 9 and 15 mg L−1 Cl2 for continuous and initial irrigation only, respectively, did not affect the weight of iceberg lettuce heads (p > 0.05), while the combination of monochloramine (4–5 mg L−1 Cl2) and salinity (3,500 μS cm−1) did not significantly affect harvest measurements (p > 0.05). We therefore conclude that it is unlikely that monochloramine was responsible for the observed crop failures.
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Research Article|
February 27 2013
Was monochloramine responsible for widespread lettuce crop failures at a major recycled water irrigation scheme?
S. F. Barker
;
1
The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia2
Department of Primary Industries, PO Box 4166, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
E-mail: fionabr@unimelb.edu.au
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R. Faggian
;
R. Faggian
1
The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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J. Blackbeard
;
J. Blackbeard
3
PO Box 4342 Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
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G. Hepworth
;
G. Hepworth
1
The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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A. J. Hamilton
A. J. Hamilton
4
Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, The University of Melbourne, Dookie 3647, Australia
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Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination (2013) 3 (2): 148-159.
Article history
Received:
January 15 2012
Accepted:
August 01 2012
Citation
S. F. Barker, R. Faggian, J. Blackbeard, G. Hepworth, A. J. Hamilton; Was monochloramine responsible for widespread lettuce crop failures at a major recycled water irrigation scheme?. Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination 1 June 2013; 3 (2): 148–159. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wrd.2013.019
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S. F. Barker, R. Faggian, J. Blackbeard, G. Hepworth, A. J. Hamilton; Was monochloramine responsible for widespread lettuce crop failures at a major recycled water irrigation scheme?. Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination 1 June 2013; 3 (2): 148–159. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wrd.2013.019
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