HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (6) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lutrick, M. C. Articles by Cornell, J. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Lutrick, M. C. Articles by Cornell, J. A. Agricola Articles by Lutrick, M. C. Articles by Cornell, J. A.

Soil and Slash Pine Response to Sludge Applications in Florida¹

ABSTRACT

A study was made of the mineral uptake by slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.), and of the movement of nutrients through the profile of an extremely sandy soil to which liquid digested sewage sludge containing 26 g kg^–1 (2.6%) solids had been applied as a source of plant nutrients. The sludge was applied only once to an area planted to pine seedlings, at rates of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 Mg ha^–1 dry matter. The large amount of N (730-3650 kg ha^–1) in the sludge treatments would limit the amount of sludge that would be applied to slash pine grown on a Troup fine sandy loam (Grossarenic Paleudults), since NO₃^- could leach into the ground water if sludge were applied in excessive amounts. Large amounts of P and Zn also were added to the soil from the sludge, but neither moved down the soil profile beyond the 90-cm sampling depth. After 4 yr of growth, the N and P concentration in pine needles had increased significantly from the sludge treatments, but after 8 yr, the N and P concentration in needles was not significantly different among treatments. However, the Ca concentration in the pine needles increased due to treatment after 8 yr but was not different after 4 yr. Addition of sludge increased individual tree growth by 0.8 dm³ yr^–1 and increased annual yield by 1.0 m³ ha^–1 per 10 Mg ha^–1 sludge. Annual yields were probably diminished because the addition of sludge to the planted pines caused some damage and mortality. A deep sand of low fertility, such as this Troup fine sandy loam, would respond better to an application of –10 to 20 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1 of sludge over a 2- to 3-yr period.

¹ Florida Agricultural Experiment Stations Journal Series no. 5609.

² Professor and Soil Chemist, Agricultural Research and Education Center, Univ. of Florida, Jay, FL 32565-9524; Associate Professor, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Univ. of Florida, 118 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611; and Professor and Statistician, Dep. of Statistics, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, respectively.

Received for publication February 25, 1985.