Table 3 Effects of treated brewery wastewater on maize growth attributes, physiological traits and nutrient uptake in pot culture experiments

Plant height (cm)

71.9 ± 0.99^ns

76.8 ± 0.41^ns

73.5 ± 0.91^ns

69.9 ± 1.04^ns

70.8 ± 0.71^ns

Stem girth (cm)

3.40 ± 0.02^ns

3.20 ± 0.01^ns

3.28 ± 0.02^ns

3.40 ± 0.03^ns

3.36 ± 0.03^ns

Leaf Area (cm²)

272 ± 1.4^c

263 ± 4.1^c

308 ± 3.8^b

290 ± 4.7^bc

325 ± 4.8^a

Total Chlorophyll content (mg g⁻¹)

2.66 ± 0.03^d

2.91 ± 0.05^bc

2.86 ± 0.04^c

3.04 ± 0.05^ab

3.09 ± 0.04^a

Shoot biomass (g plant⁻¹)

2.67 ± 0.05^b

2.47 ± 0.03^c

2.84 ± 0.04^a

2.87 ± 0.05^a

2.99 ± 0.07^a

Root biomass (g plant⁻¹)

1.87 ± 0.01^c

1.82 ± 0.04^bc

1.72 ± 0.00^a

1.86 ± 0.02^ab

1.92 ± 0.02^a

Total Nitrogen (g kg⁻¹)

19.2 ± 0.34^a

21.0 ± 0.49^bc

20.2 ± 0.23^cd

21.7 ± 0.32^b

24.6 ± 0.03^a

Total Phosphorus (g kg⁻¹)

3.40 ± 0.01^c

3.40 ± 0.07^c

3.80 ± 0.01^ab

3.70 ± 0.08^b

3.90 ± 0.04^a

Total Potassium (g kg⁻¹)

2.10 ± 0.05^c

2.20 ± 0.05^bc

2.30 ± 0.05^b

2.30 ± 0.04^b

2.50 ± 0.05^a

Sodium (g kg⁻¹)

2.00 ± 0.00^d

2.50 ± 0.04^c

2.50 ± 0.02^c

2.70 ± 0.01^b

2.90 ± 0.03^a

Calcium (g kg⁻¹)

5.20 ± 0.03^b

5.60 ± 0.13^a

5.70 ± 0.07^a

5.00 ± 0.12^b

5.70 ± 0.05^a

Magnesium (g kg⁻¹)

3.00 ± 0.07^a

2.80 ± 0.06^b

2.80 ± 0.07^b

2.80 ± 0.02^b

3.10 ± 0.06^a

Na⁺/K⁺ Ratio

0.95 ± 0.02^c

1.14 ± 0.02^ab

1.09 ± 0.01^b

1.17 ± 0.02^a

1.16 ± 0.03^a