Abstract
This study shows the influence of compost fertilization derived from sludge obtained from wastewater treatment on the nutrition of an eight-year-old apple orchard, ʹJonathanʹ cv. A field experiment was conducted to demonstrate the beneficial and negative aspects of (urban) sludge compost fertilization in apples and to assess the risk of soil contamination with heavy metals from municipal sewage sludge compost. The experimental factor was the compost with the following gradations: V1 = 0 t/ha, V2 = 20 t/ha, V3 = 40 t/ha, V4 = 60 t/ha, V5 = 80 t/ha. After two years (2019-2021) from soil fertilization with compost, the nitrogen content of the leaves increased in the treatment with the maximum fertilization dose (80 t/ha) by 30% compared to the unfertilized control, while the phosphorus content of leaves increased by 80% compared to non-fertilization control. The potassium content of the leaves increased by 36% in the 80 t/ha treatment compared to the unfertilized control, but still remained at a deficit level. The results showed that growth and yield were improved by using sewage sludge compost. However, sewage sludge compost applications have not significantly altered the heavy metal content of plant tissues. The concentration of heavy metals in the soil did not exceed the maximum permissible thresholds according to standards established in other EU countries, where compost from sewage sludge is considered product, not waste. However, the calculation of the Igeo index (geoaccumulation index of heavy metal in soil) showed certain levels of soil pollution already installed with Cd Zn, Pb in all variants fertilized with compost.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
The maximum compost dose of 80 t/ha increased apple leaf nitrogen content by 30% compared with the unfertilized control.
- Taxon
- apple
Malus domesticae0 - Organ / stage
- leavese1
- Treatment
- maximum fertilization dose (80 t/ha)e1
- Outcome
- nitrogen content of the leavese1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 30%e1
- Comparator
- unfertilized controle1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“eight-year-old apple orchard”
e1“the nitrogen content of the leaves increased in the treatment with the maximum fertilization dose (80 t/ha) by 30% compared to the unfertilized control”
Claim · model-written summary
Compost fertilization increased apple leaf phosphorus content by 80% compared with the non-fertilization control.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Organ / stage
- leavese2
- Treatment
- fertilization with composte1
- Outcome
- phosphorus content of leavese2
- Direction
- increasede2
- Value
- 80%e2
- Comparator
- non-fertilization controle2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“eight-year-old apple orchard”
e2“while the phosphorus content of leaves increased by 80% compared to non-fertilization control”
e1“After two years (2019-2021) from soil fertilization with compost”
Claim · model-written summary
The 80 t/ha compost treatment increased apple leaf potassium content by 36% compared with the unfertilized control.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Organ / stage
- leavese3
- Treatment
- 80 t/ha treatmente3
- Outcome
- potassium content of the leavese3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Value
- 36%e3
- Comparator
- unfertilized controle3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“eight-year-old apple orchard”
e3“The potassium content of the leaves increased by 36% in the 80 t/ha treatment compared to the unfertilized control, but still remained at a deficit level”
Claim · model-written summary
Apple leaf potassium content remained at a deficit level even at 80 t/ha compost.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Outcome
- potassium content of the leavese3
- Qualifier
- remained at a deficit levele3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“eight-year-old apple orchard”
e3“The potassium content of the leaves increased by 36% in the 80 t/ha treatment compared to the unfertilized control, but still remained at a deficit level”
Claim · model-written summary
Sewage sludge compost improved growth and yield of apple.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- using sewage sludge composte4
- Outcome
- growth and yielde4
- Direction
- improvede4
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“eight-year-old apple orchard”
e4“The results showed that growth and yield were improved by using sewage sludge compost”
Claim · model-written summary
Sewage sludge compost applications did not significantly alter heavy metal content of apple plant tissues.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- sewage sludge compost applicationse5
- Outcome
- heavy metal content of plant tissuese5
- Direction
- not significantly alterede5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“eight-year-old apple orchard”
e5“sewage sludge compost applications have not significantly altered the heavy metal content of plant tissues”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil heavy metal concentrations in the apple orchard did not exceed the maximum permissible thresholds.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Outcome
- concentration of heavy metals in the soile6
- Qualifier
- did not exceed the maximum permissible thresholdse6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“eight-year-old apple orchard”
e6“The concentration of heavy metals in the soil did not exceed the maximum permissible thresholds according to standards established in other EU countries”
Claim · model-written summary
Igeo index showed soil pollution with Cd, Zn and Pb in all compost-fertilized variants of the apple orchard.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Outcome
- soil pollutione7
- Qualifier
- Cd Zn, Pb in all variants fertilized with composte7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“eight-year-old apple orchard”
e7“showed certain levels of soil pollution already installed with Cd Zn, Pb in all variants fertilized with compost”
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