Utilization of Sewage Sludge on Land: Rates of Application and Long‐Term Effects on Metals

The long-term field experiment with new high yielding perennial energy crop - cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) was conducted in order to evaluate its biomass productivity in Vėžaičiai branch of the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agricultural and Forestry. Experimental site – naturally acid Bathygleic Dystric Glossic Retisol, pH 4.2-4.4. Granulated sewage sludge was applied (at 45 and 90 t ha-1 rates) as an alternative organic fertilizer. The fertilization was done at the beginning of the experiment, prior to cup plant’s sprouts planting in 2013. Each experimental year, traditional N60P60K60 fertilization was performed in a separate treatment. Cup plant’s biomass was harvesting once per season at the end of vegetation. Cup plant’s dry mass (DM) yield substantially increased from 2.80 t ha-1 (in 2014) to 13.41 t ha-1 (in 2016). The use of sewage sludge fertilization was notably superior to that of mineral fertilization for cup plant’s biomass productivity. In all experimental years, the optimal was the application of 45 t ha-1 rate of sewage sludge - in compare with unfertilized treatment (control), DM yield increased by 66 %, on average. Increasing of sewage sludge rate up to 90 kg ha-1 did not give any DM yield supplement. Energy evaluation of growing technology revealed that the application of 45 t ha-1 sewage sludge rate caused the substantial increase of energy output from 1 ha; and on the contrarily, sharply decreased net energy ratio. In order to determine the long-term effects of fertilization on biomass yield, these studies will continue a few more years.

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Long-term effects of sewage sludge applications on soil properties, cadmium availability and distribution in arable soil

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment ◽

10.1016/s0167-8809(03)00121-x ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 97 (1-3) ◽

pp. 167-179 ◽

Cited By ~ 58

Author(s):

Petra Bergkvist ◽

Nicholas Jarvis ◽

Dan Berggren ◽

Käll Carlgren

Keyword(s):

Sewage Sludge ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Arable Soil ◽

Long Term Effects

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Long-term effects of sewage sludge application on sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.)

Israel Journal of Plant Sciences ◽

10.1080/07929978.2014.950052 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 61 (1-4) ◽

pp. 51-56 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Rafet Aslantas ◽

Ilker Angin ◽

Ahmet Orhan Kobaza

Keyword(s):

Sewage Sludge ◽

Vegetative Growth ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Sour Cherry ◽

Prunus Cerasus ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Application Rates ◽

Sludge Application

This study describes the long-term effects of different sewage sludge application rates on vegetative parameters, morphological characteristics, yield, and chemical properties of fruit and leaves of sour cherry (Prunus cerasusL.) cv. “Kütahya.” A three-year field experiment was set up in a completely randomized block design with six sewage sludge application rates (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 kg of dry matter per tree) and three replications. One-year-old Kütahya sour cherry trees grafted onPrunus mahalebrootstock were evaluated. In all application rates, sewage sludge altered vegetative growth parameters, morphological characteristics, and yield. The most effective application rate was 7.5 kg per tree, it increased cumulative yield more than twofold. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that application of sewage sludge to light-textured soil is an effective means for improvement of vegetative growth and yield, and that a single application of sewage sludge sustains its effects for at least 7 years.

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