Article
Evaluation of sewage sludge as an organic fertilizer in volcanic soils of agricultural and forestal use in jalisco, Mexico [Evaluación de lodos residuales como abono orgánico en suelos volcánicos de uso agrícola yforestal en Jalisco, México]
Fecha
2007Autor
Salcedo-Perez, E.
Vazquez-Alarcon, A.
Krishnamurthy, L.
Zamora-Natera, F.
Hernandez-Alvarez, E.
Macias, R.R.
Institución
Resumen
Sewage sludge applications to agricultural and forest soils represent an important alternative for reuse of materials with a high nutrient content. The effects of different application rates of sewage sludge as organic fertilizer on corn production and Pinus douglasiana development were studied. The experiments were established in a volcanic soil of the central region of Jalisco, Mexico. The application 10 and 20t·ha-1 of dry sewage sludge and of sludge compost mixed with garden residues on corn yield was evaluated. The materials were homogeneously applied on the ground, using a randomized complete block design with five replications. Both the corn and fodder yield (dry matter base) increased as a result of the addition of sludge and compost in 18 and 22%, respectively. The effects of different application rates of dry sewage sludge (0, 30, 60 and 100g/ tree) on the initial development of Pinus douglasiana were also evaluated. Application of sludge at the highest rate significantly improved the establishment of Pinus douglasiana (83%) after 14 months, whereas the control only reached 67%. At the highest rates of application, both height and diameter of tree steams were increased by ∼18%. Application of sewage sludges as an organic fertilizer improved the corn production and the initial development of Pinus douglasiana on volcanic soils.