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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2014, Vol. 13 Issue (2): 426-433    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(13)60564-X
Soil & Fertilization · Irrigation · Agro-Ecology & Environment Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Responses of Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) Grown in Mudflats to Sewage Sludge Amendment
 BAI Yan-chao, GU Chuan-hui, TAO Tian-yun, ZHU Xiao-wen, XU Yi-ran, SHAN Yu-hua , FENG Ke
1.College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, P.R.China
2.Department of Geology, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina 28607, USA
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摘要  Sewage sludge amendment (SSA) is an alternative waste disposal technique and a potential way to increase fertility of mudflats for crop growth. The present study aimed to assess the suitability of SSA by assessing the nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) uptakes, heavy metal accumulation, growth, biomass, and yield response of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) at 0, 30, 75, 150, and 300 t ha-1 SSA rates at various growth stages. The results showed that the highest biomass of ryegrass at seedling and vegetative stages were at 300 and 150 t ha-1 SSA rate, respectively. The increments of ryegrass yield at reproductive stage at 30, 75, 150, and 300 t ha-1 SSA rates were 98.0, 122.6, 88.1, and 61.2%, compared to unamended soil. N and P concentrations in ryegrass increased with increasing SSA rates at all stages except N and P in roots dropped significantly at 300 t ha-1 rate at vegetative stage. The metal concentration for Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, Cr, and Pb in shoot of ryegrass at 300 t ha-1 SSA rate increased by 0.63-, 2.34-, 15.02-, 0.97-, 10.00-, 0.01- and 1.13-fold, respectively, compared to unamended soil. However, heavy metal concentrations in shoot of ryegrass were lower than the standard for forage products in China. The study suggested that sewage sludge amendment in mudflat soils might be feasible. However, the impacts of sludge application on edible crop plants and soil environment need further investigations.

Abstract  Sewage sludge amendment (SSA) is an alternative waste disposal technique and a potential way to increase fertility of mudflats for crop growth. The present study aimed to assess the suitability of SSA by assessing the nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) uptakes, heavy metal accumulation, growth, biomass, and yield response of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) at 0, 30, 75, 150, and 300 t ha-1 SSA rates at various growth stages. The results showed that the highest biomass of ryegrass at seedling and vegetative stages were at 300 and 150 t ha-1 SSA rate, respectively. The increments of ryegrass yield at reproductive stage at 30, 75, 150, and 300 t ha-1 SSA rates were 98.0, 122.6, 88.1, and 61.2%, compared to unamended soil. N and P concentrations in ryegrass increased with increasing SSA rates at all stages except N and P in roots dropped significantly at 300 t ha-1 rate at vegetative stage. The metal concentration for Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, Cr, and Pb in shoot of ryegrass at 300 t ha-1 SSA rate increased by 0.63-, 2.34-, 15.02-, 0.97-, 10.00-, 0.01- and 1.13-fold, respectively, compared to unamended soil. However, heavy metal concentrations in shoot of ryegrass were lower than the standard for forage products in China. The study suggested that sewage sludge amendment in mudflat soils might be feasible. However, the impacts of sludge application on edible crop plants and soil environment need further investigations.
Keywords:  sewage sludge       mudflat soil       ryegrass       growth       metals  
Received: 27 February 2013   Accepted:
Fund: 

This study is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31101604), the Public Foundation of Key Laboratory of Environmental Materials and Engineering of Jiangsu Province, China (JHCG201011) and the Foundation of Jiangsu Educational Committee, China (12KJB210008).

Corresponding Authors:  SHAN Yu-hua, Tel: +86-514-89799185, Email: shanyuhua@gmail.com   
About author:  BAI Yan-chao, Tel: +86-514-87979645, E-mail: byc529@gmail.com

Cite this article: 

BAI Yan-chao, GU Chuan-hui, TAO Tian-yun, ZHU Xiao-wen, XU Yi-ran, SHAN Yu-hua , FENG Ke. 2014. Responses of Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) Grown in Mudflats to Sewage Sludge Amendment. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 13(2): 426-433.

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