Abstract
Abstract The impact of a water treatment sludge on the fertility of a silt loam soil was assessed by monitoring the yield and elemental composition of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) shoots in a greenhouse study. Application of sludge at rates from 2–10% (air dry weight basis) raised the soil pH from 5.3 to 8.0 which enhanced plant growth. A substantial reduction in metal (Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni) uptake was observed with sludge amendments, even at the highest rates. The alkaline nature of this sludge (pH=9.3, calcium carbonate equivalence=53%) suggests its potential use as a liming material for agricultural soils. Overly alkaline conditions should be avoided however, as high application rates combined with ammonia fertilization had an antagonistic effect on plant growth, possibly from P deficiency induced by struvite (MgNH4PO4) formation.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Sludge application raised soil pH from 5.3 to 8.0.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicumt0 - Treatment
- sludge at rates from 2–10%e0
- Outcome
- soil pHe0
- Direction
- raisede0
- Value
- 8.0e0
- Qualifier
- from 5.3e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Application of sludge at rates from 2–10% (air dry weight basis) raised the soil pH from 5.3 to 8.0”
t0“tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Sludge amendment enhanced tomato growth.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- sludge at rates from 2–10%e1
- Outcome
- plant growthe0
- Direction
- enhancede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“which enhanced plant growth”
e1“Application of sludge at rates from 2–10% (air dry weight basis) raised the soil pH from 5.3 to 8.0”
t0“tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Sludge amendment substantially reduced tomato metal uptake, including at the highest rates.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- sludge amendmentse0
- Outcome
- metal (Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni) uptakee0
- Direction
- reductione0
- Qualifier
- even at the highest ratese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A substantial reduction in metal (Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni) uptake was observed with sludge amendments, even at the highest rates”
t0“tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
High sludge rates combined with ammonia fertilizer adversely affected tomato growth.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- high application rates combined with ammonia fertilizatione0
- Outcome
- plant growthe0
- Direction
- antagonistic effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“high application rates combined with ammonia fertilization had an antagonistic effect on plant growth”
t0“tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest potential use of alkaline sludge as agricultural liming material.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Outcome
- potential use as a liming material for agricultural soilse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The alkaline nature of this sludge (pH=9.3, calcium carbonate equivalence=53%) suggests its potential use as a liming material for agricultural soils”
t0“tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors advise avoiding overly alkaline conditions.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Outcome
- Overly alkaline conditions should be avoidede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Overly alkaline conditions should be avoided”
t0“tomato”
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