Sewage sludge as a soil amendment for growing biomass plant arundo donax L.

Abstract

Sewage sludge (SS) is a waste originated fromwastewater treatment that could be considered an interesting source of organic matter and nutrients for agricultural production. Our experiments aimed to assess the effect of SS on the growth parameters and the biomass yield of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) plants. Experiments were carried out in pots during two growing seasons, where samples of dried SS were applied in doses of 5 or 15 t ha-1. The number of shoots per plant was significantly higher with the application of 5 t ha-1 of SS into arable soil compared to the control treatment and did not increase with the dose of SS. On the other hand, the height of the plants was gradually elevated with the dose of SS. The diameter of the shoots was positively affected by the dose of 15 t ha-1, and it was the only parameter with significant differences between the used types of SS. The biomass yield increased by 1.2-2.7× depending on the type and dose of SS. Cu and Zn uptake, as micronutrients present in SS, and their accumulation in the aboveground parts were significantly higher for plants cultivated in the presence of SS.