Open AccessFly Ash and Composted Biosolids as a Source of Fe for Hybrid Poplar: A Greenhouse Study
Author(s) -
Kevin Lombard,
M. K. O’Neill,
April Ulery,
John G. Mexal,
B. M. Onken,
Sue Forster-Cox,
T. W. Sammis
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
applied and environmental soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.431
H-Index - 23
eISSN - 1687-7675
pISSN - 1687-7667
DOI - 10.1155/2011/475185
Subject(s) - biosolids , fly ash , loam , compost , wood ash , chlorosis , agronomy , soil conditioner , environmental science , sewage sludge , amendment , soil water , chemistry , sewage , environmental engineering , biology , organic chemistry , political science , law , soil science
Soils of northwest New Mexico have an elevated pH and CaCO3 content that reduces Fe solubility, causes chlorosis, and reduces crop yields. Could biosolids and fly ash, enriched with Fe, provide safe alternatives to expensive Fe EDDHA (sodium ferric ethylenediamine di-(o-hydroxyphenyl-acetate)) fertilizers applied to Populus hybrid plots? Hybrid OP-367 was cultivated on a Doak sandy loam soil amended with composted biosolids or fly ash at three agricultural rates. Fly ash and Fe EDDHA treatments received urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), biosolids, enriched with N, did not. Both amendments improved soil and plant Fe. Heavy metals were below EPA regulations, but high B levels were noted in leaves of trees treated at the highest fly ash rate. pH increased in fly ash soil while salinity increased in biosolids-treated soil. Chlorosis rankings improved in poplars amended with both byproducts, although composted biosolids offered the most potential at improving Fe/tree growth cheaply without the need for synthetic inputs
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