M. REDDI PRADEEP, VIMAL DOSS, A. PRAVEEN, A. JANARDHAN AND G. NARASIMHA
Abstract
The effect of fruit processing (mango) industrial wastes on physico-chemical, biological and enzymatic activities such as protease, amylase and cellulase of soil was assessed in the present study. Discharge of wastes from mango industry alters the physico-chemical, biological and enzymatic activities of soil. These changes include increase in water holding capacity, electrical conductivity, phosphorous, potassium and carbon content in the polluted soil. Higher fungal and bacterial populations were observed in polluted soil than that of the control. Soil enzyme activities were measured with addition of substrates; casein (protease), starch (amylase) and carboxy methyl cellulose (cellulase) to the collected soil samples and the hydrolytic end products like tyrosine and glucose formed from these substrates in the soil were estimated at periodic intervals. With increasing soil incubation period, the three enzymes, protease, amylase and cellulase activities were enhanced up to 14, 7 and 21 days respectively and further they declined in both polluted and non-polluted soils.