Physiological and Anatomical Response of Fragrant Rosa Species with Treated and Untreated Wastewater

The present study assessed the response of physiological and anatomical characteristics of four widely cultivated fragrant Rosa species. Water analysis showed that all minerals and chemicals were in permissible level in canal water and treated wastewater, whereas untreated wastewater contained higher EC, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and heavy metals like Cd, Co, Cu, Pb. There was considerable variations among different Rosa species regarding response to wastewater irrigations. Under treated wastewater, R. bourboniana showed highest photosynthetic rate, high transpiration rate and maximum chlorophyll contents than other Rosa species whereas stomatal conductance of R. gruss-anteplitz was highest under treated wastewater. Leaf anatomical characteristics showed that R. Gruss-an-Teplitz under untreated wastewater showed large cortical cell area, vascular bundle area, large spongy cell area and thick midrib while large epidermal thickness of R. centifolia was recorded under treated wastewater. Large palisade cell and phloem area and thick leaves (lamina) were found in R. damascena under treated wastewater while large metaxylem area of R. bourboniana in untreated wastewater. The study showed that treated wastewater was most suitable and desirable irrigation treatment than canal water and untreated wastewater while R. bourboniana and R. Gruss-an-Teplitz was dominant Rosa species regarding physiological characteristics, while all species showed great diversity in leaf tissue architecture under treated and untreated wastewater. (C) 2016 Friends Science Publishers