Growth of apple seedlings on sludge-amended soils in the greenhouse
Open pollinated York Imperial apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) seeds were germinated and grown for a period of 7 months in: (1) sand with complete nutrient solutions added; (2) limed and unlimed soil, (3) limed and unlimed soil amended with two different sewage sludges at rates of 25, 50 or 100 dry kg ha/sup -1/. A third composted, lime stabilized sludge was added either sieved or non-sieved at the same rates. The sludge materials used were: (1) a high metal, composted sludge from Baltimore, MD (BALT); (2) a high Cd sewage sludge (CITY) and (3) a low metal, composted sewage sludge from Washington, D.C. (DC). Germination was unaffected by treatments. After 7 months, the best growth was obtained from the sand plus nutrient solution media. Two of the three sludge materials increased seedling growth over that of the soil, either limed or unlimed. The BALT compost treated soils produced the lowest growth, particularly when unlimed. Elevated tissue metal levels indicated that Mn, Zn, Cu and Ni were the probable causes of reduced growth noted from the BALT compost treatment. The use of soil with or without low metal sludges as media for early apple seedling growth when compared to standard sand culture is not recommended.
- Research Organization:
- Dept. of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
- OSTI ID:
- 6943706
- Journal Information:
- Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal.; (United States), Journal Name: Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal.; (United States) Vol. 17:10; ISSN CSOSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
APPLES
CONTAMINATION
COPPER
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOOD
FRUIT TREES
FRUITS
GERMINATION
GROWTH
MANGANESE
METALS
NICKEL
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
SEEDLINGS
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLUDGES
SOILS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TREES
WASTES
ZINC