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Waste Wood Fiber as a Soil Amendment
Author(s) -
King Larry D.
Publication year - 1979
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/jeq1979.00472425000800010020x
Subject(s) - loam , amendment , fiber , organic matter , soil water , urea formaldehyde , bulk density , agronomy , sawdust , histosol , fertilizer , soil conditioner , moisture , chemistry , environmental science , pulp and paper industry , soil organic matter , soil science , adhesive , organic chemistry , layer (electronics) , soil biodiversity , biology , political science , law , engineering
Byproducts from wood processing have been used as soil amendments for many years. This study was conducted to determine the effects of a relatively new wood byproduct on plant growth and soil properties. Waste wood fiber containing 2% N (mainly as urea‐formaldehyde used as a binding agent in fiberboard production) was applied to sandy loam and clay loam soil materials in a greenhouse study. Single applications of 2,4, and 6% by weight of fiber were compared over a 2‐year period to six applications of 25, 50, and 100 ppm of fertilizer N to soils receiving no fiber. Fiber did not increase yields of fescue grass ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) at the first harvest but did increase yields for 8 to 10 mo thereafter. By the seventh harvest the single application of 4% fiber (supplying 800 ppm N) produced a cumulative yield equal to the yield with six 50‐ppm N applications. Yields with the 6% fiber rate (supplying 1,200 ppm N) were 80% of the yields obtained from six 100 ppm N applications. Fiber additions increased available soil moisture (between 0.1 and 15 bars), cation exchange capacity, organic matter, and total N, and lowered bulk density.