Effects of brewery waste sludge on haricot bean (phaseolus vulgaris l.) productivity and soil fertility

Abstract

This study is conducted at Haramaya University Raaree research site during 2013/2014 main cropping season, eastern Ethiopia, to investigate the impact of brewery sludge on haricot production and soil fertility. The treatments comprised seven levels of brewery sludges (0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0, 10.0 and 12.0 t ha−1) and NP inorganic fertilizer at recommended rate, arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. In this regard, the maximum increase (58.28% and 73.05% and 43.15% over the control) in survival percentage of plant, plant height, and leave length were recorded by the application of sludge at 6 and 12 t ha−1. Similarly, maximum number of pods per plant (22.90) and seeds per pod (5.40) were recorded when brewery sludge was applied at 10 t ha−1 and 6 t ha−1, respectively. The soil of the experimental site revealed 1.18% of organic carbon and 7.51 mg kg−1 available phosphorus. Moreover, the source brewery sludge (BS) which is used as treatments in this study showed 3.50% of organic carbon and 39.75 mg kg−1 available phosphorus. The total effective nodules per hectare were non-significant and the maximum (261,500) was observed in plot received 4 t ha−1 brewery sludge and the minimum (147,750) was recorded in control and NP fertilized plots. The maximum grain and total N uptakes due to brewery sludge application were obtained at the higher brewery sludge rates (10 and 12 t ha−1) whereas the minimum grain, straw and total N uptake were obtained from control plot.