Premium
Soil and Slash Pine Response to Sludge Applications in Florida
Author(s) -
Lutrick M. C.,
Riekerk H.,
Cornell J. A.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1986.03615995005000020039x
Subject(s) - slash pine , loam , sewage sludge , nutrient , slash (logging) , environmental science , agronomy , zoology , pinus <genus> , chemistry , soil water , sewage treatment , botany , biology , environmental engineering , soil science , ecology , organic chemistry
A study was made of the mineral uptake by slash pine ( Pinus elliottii Engelm.), and of the movement of nutrients through the profile of an extremely sandy soil to which liquid digested sewage sludge containing 26 g kg −1 (2.6%) solids had been applied as a source of plant nutrients. The sludge was applied only once to an area planted to pine seedlings, at rates of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 Mg ha −1 dry matter. The large amount of N (730‐3650 kg ha −1 ) in the sludge treatments would limit the amount of sludge that would be applied to slash pine grown on a Troup fine sandy loam (Grossarenic Paleudults), since NO 3 ‐ could leach into the ground water if sludge were applied in excessive amounts. Large amounts of P and Zn also were added to the soil from the sludge, but neither moved down the soil profile beyond the 90‐cm sampling depth. After 4 yr of growth, the N and P concentration in pine needles had increased significantly from the sludge treatments, but after 8 yr, the N and P concentration in needles was not significantly different among treatments. However, the Ca concentration in the pine needles increased due to treatment after 8 yr but was not different after 4 yr. Addition of sludge increased individual tree growth by 0.8 dm 3 yr −1 and increased annual yield by 1.0 m 3 ha −1 per 10 Mg ha −1 sludge. Annual yields were probably diminished because the addition of sludge to the planted pines caused some damage and mortality. A deep sand of low fertility, such as this Troup fine sandy loam, would respond better to an application of −10 to 20 Mg ha −1 yr −1 of sludge over a 2‐ to 3‐yr period.