Improved sustainability of feedstock production with sludge and interacting mycorrhiza

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2013-05, Vol.91 (9), p.1236-1242
• Main Authors: Seleiman, Mahmoud F., Santanen, Arja, Kleemola, Jouko, Stoddard, Frederick L., Mäkelä, Pirjo S.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Applied sciences; bioenergy; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; biomass production; Cannabis - growth & development; Cannabis - metabolism; corn; crops; energy; Exact sciences and technology; Feedstock crops; feedstocks; fertilizers; Fertilizers - microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; General treatment and storage processes; Heavy metals; hemp; leaching; Lolium; Lolium - growth & development; Lolium - metabolism; metalloids; Metals, Heavy - chemistry; Metals, Heavy - metabolism; mycorrhizae; Mycorrhizae - physiology; Mycorrhizal fungi; N and P availability; Nitrogen - chemistry; nutrient availability; nutrients; organic wastes; Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries; Phosphorus - chemistry; plant nutrition; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant Shoots - growth & development; Pollution; production technology; roots; sand; Sewage - chemistry; Sewage and digested sludge; sewage sludge; soil; Soil Microbiology; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; spores; Spores, Fungal - isolation & purification; sustainable agriculture; Wastes; Zea mays - growth & development; Zea mays - metabolism
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.02.004

► Sludge N and P are readily available for feedstock crops. ► Mycorrhiza improved nutrient availability of sludge. ► Sludge increased biomass accumulation in comparison to synthetic fertilizer. ► Sludge increased number of mycorrhizal spores in soil and root colonization. ► Sludge with mycorrhizal improve sustainability of bioenergy feedstocks. Recycling nutrients saves energy and improves agricultural sustainability. Sewage sludge contains 2.6% P and 3.1% N, so the availability of these nutrients was investigated using four crops grown in either soil or sand. Further attention was paid to the role of mycorrhiza in improvement of nutrient availability. The content of heavy metals and metalloids in the feedstock was analyzed. Sewage sludge application resulted in greater biomass accumulation in ryegrass than comparable single applications of either synthetic fertilizer or digested sludge. Sewage sludge application resulted in more numerous mycorrhizal spores in soil and increased root colonization in comparison to synthetic fertilizer. All plants studied had mycorrhizal colonized roots, with the highest colonization rate in maize, followed by hemp. Sewage sludge application resulted in the highest P uptake in all soil-grown plants. In conclusion, sewage sludge application increased feedstock yield, provided beneficial use for organic wastes, and contributed to the sustainability of bioenergy feedstock production systems. It also improves the soil conditions and plant nutrition through colonization by mycorrhizal fungi as well as reducing leaching and need of synthetic fertilizers.