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Influence of Soil Materials in Copper Mine Wastes on the Growth and Quality of Barley Grain
Author(s) -
Day A. D.,
Ludeke K. L.,
Tucker T. C.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1977.00472425000600020016x
Subject(s) - overburden , revegetation , environmental science , agronomy , hordeum vulgare , soil quality , perennial plant , leaching (pedology) , soil water , mining engineering , geology , land reclamation , poaceae , soil science , biology , ecology
Experiments were conducted in Arizona to study the effects of four soil materials in copper mine wastes (desert, overburden, tailing‐overburden, and tailing) on the growth, grain yield, and grain quality of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. emend Lam.). Barley was effective in the revegetation and stabilization of the four soil materials in Cu mine wastes. It also provided needed organic matter to be incorporated into the surface 15 cm, which created a more suitable soil medium for the establishment of perennial grass species. When grown in desert soil and overburden, barley produced taller plants, more vegetative plants, higher grain yields, and grain of higher quality than when it was produced in tailing‐overburden and tailing soil materials. Barley can be used effectively to produce satisfactory grain yields and grain of suitable quality for livestock and wildlife feed in the rehabilitation of desert soil, overburden, tailing‐overburden, and tailing soil materials in copper mine wastes.