SEWAGE SLUDGE APPLICATIONS FOR ENHANCING GROWTH OF SOME EUCALYPTUS SPECIES GROWN IN NEW RECLAIMED SANDY SOIL | ||||
| Journal of Productivity and Development | ||||
| Article 12, Volume 16, Issue 3, August 2011, Page 527-545 PDF (422.16 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jpd.2011.42453 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Author | ||||
| Mahmoud AbdEl-Kader* | ||||
| Forestry Department Research, Hort. Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt. | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| This study was carried out at the Experimental Farm of El-Kassasin Hort. Research Station, Hort. Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt, during the two successive seasons of 2008/09 and 2009/10 aiming to evaluate the effect of sewage sludge on growth and chemical composition of some Eucalyptus species (E. citriodora, E. gomphocphala and E. camaldulensis) grown under sandy soil conditions. Sewage sludge was mixed with the sandy medium at five levels of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 % (w/ w) before plantation. Obtained results indicated that E. gomphocphala gave significant increments in all growth parameters; i.e., plant height and stem diameter as well as fresh and dry weights of leaves, stem and roots per plant compared to E. camaldulensis and E. citriodora,. In addition, E. camaldulensis recorded the highest percentages of N, P and K in different plant organs. Seedlings planted in mixture containing 30 % sewage sludge + 70 % sandy soil, generally, had the highest increments in all growth parameters, uptake and total uptake of N, P and K. Also, level 40 % sewage sludge (mixture medium contain 40 % sewage sludge + 60 % sandy soil) resulted high values of N, P and K % in plant organs. Regarding the interaction treatments, the highest values of the above mentioned growth parameters, uptake, and total uptake of N, P and K in plant organs were recorded in E. gomphocephala planted in mixture medium 30 % sewage sludge + 70 % sandy soil. Also, plantation of E. camaldulensis in mixture medium containing 40 % sewage sludge + 60 % sandy soil recorded high percentages of N, P and K in plant organs in most cases. Therefore, it could be recommend that planting Eucalyptus plants especially E. gomphocephala in new reclaimed sandy soils amended with sewage sludge at rate of 30 or 40 %. Since, these combined treatments enhanced plant growth and its uptake of the main essential elements (NPK) and permit a good chance to reduce or eliminate the risk of the environmental pollution resulted from sewage sludge. Also, E. camaldulensis and E. citriodora can be resulted satisfactory growth in sandy soils amended with sewage sludge. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Sewage Sludge; enhancing growth; eucalyptus species; New Reclaimed Sandy soil | ||||
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