Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

The effect of sewage sludge and chemical fertilizer on natural pasture’s yield and botanical composition

Author(s):

Ösmetullah Arvas ^1*, Şeyda Zorer Çelebi ², İbrahim Hakkı Yılmaz ¹

Recieved Date: 2010-09-29, Accepted Date: 2011-03-30

Abstract:

Meadows converted into poor quality pastureland, as a result of early and over grazing, must regained their productive capacity. Since sewage biosolid (sewage sludge) contains high ratio of organic matter and nutrients, its use as fertilizer has become widespread. The aim of this research is to investigate the usability of waste of sewage biosolid (SB) as fertilizer as an alternative to chemical fertilizers in amending the poor quality pastureland. In this study, in the first experiment 25, 50, 75 and 100 ton ha^-1 year doses of sewage biosolid (SB) and in the other one 50(N₁) +25(P₁), 100(N₂) +50(P₂), 150(N₃) +75(P₃), 200(N₄) +100(P₄) kg ha^-1 year doses of chemical fertilizers (CF) were applied to investigate their effects on yield and botanical composition. The experiment was conducted in complete block design with three replications in the same plots during two years. While the rate of contribution of grasses to the hay was increasing, rate of legumes was decreased by biosolid applications. In terms of biological diversity, the most stable botanical composition was reached by application of 25 ton ha^-1 year doses of biosolid and 50 kg N ha^-1+25 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 doses of chemical fertilizer. Green herbage, hay and crude protein yield and crude protein ratio were more increased by biosolid application. The highest yield was obtained from 75 ton ha^-1 year doses of biosolid and 150 kg N ha^-1+75 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 doses of chemical fertilizer. It was concluded that in similar ecological conditions, lowest doses of sewage sludge provided herbage with equal yield and high quality as the highest doses of chemical fertilizers.

Keywords:

Sewage sludge, fertilization, yield, botanical composition

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2011
Volume: 9
Issue: 2
Category: Environment
Pages: 525-530

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :