The application of municipal sewage effluent had a positive effect
on the growth and production of foxtail millet in the nutrient-
poor soil of the arid areas of southeast Iran, without an
excessive accumulation of any toxic elements in plants. Thus,
the efficient use of this type of municipal sewage effluent can
effectively increase water resources for irrigation and may
prove to be a boon for agricultural production. From this
study, it can be concluded that sewage effluent, in addition
to being a source of irrigation water, is a potential source of
plant nutrients, and that effluent application can result in an
increase in micro- and macro-nutrients in soils. The effect of
the effluent was more pronounced when micro-nutrient foliar
spraying was also used. Significant depletion of available Mn
and Zn in intensively cultivated soils is likely to induce a lack
of sustainability of soil productivity. Hence, Mn and Zn
should be included in fertilization programs, including those
which utilize municipal sewage effluent