Open AccessThe use of sewage sludge and diatomite as growing medium in scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedling production and evaluation of its land performance
Author(s) -
Murat Köse,
Çağlar Uğurlu,
Ömer Öncül,
Fatih Demirci,
İlker Angin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
šumarski list
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1846-9140
pISSN - 0373-1332
DOI - 10.31298/sl.144.11-12.3
Subject(s) - scots pine , seedling , peat , environmental science , sewage sludge , sewage , pinus <genus> , agronomy , pulp and paper industry , chemistry , botany , biology , environmental engineering , ecology , engineering
Although several organic and inorganic substrates are added to growing media for improving its physical and chemical characteristics, the need for search of new materials and/or mixtures that reduces the high-priced peat content in substrates is still interesting. This study evaluated the feasibility of reducing the peat content in substrates by replacing it with different amounts of diatomite and sewage sludge for Scots pine seedling ( Pinus sylvestris L.) growth and their land performance. In order to evaluate the feasibility of reducing the peat content in substrates by replacing it with different amounts of diatomite and sewage sludge, an experiment was carried out in a temperature-controlled greenhouse under natural light. To evaluate the land performance of Scots pine seedlings grown in different substrates, a trial was established between the years 2013-2017 in Sarıkamış, Kars (NE Anatolia). Sewage sludge application, due to its high organic matter and macro and micronutrient content, has improved the composition of the rhizosphere, thereby resulting in growth acceleration. As a result of the evaluations made in terms of both seedling morphological characteristics and land performance; the best performance was determined in the 9 th (50%P+50%SS) and 3 rd (75%SS+25%DE) mixtures.