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Land Application of Sewage Sludge: I. Effect on Growth and Chemical Composition of Plants¹

ABSTRACT

Municipal sewage sludge was added to a Truckton loamy sand at rates of 0, 25, 50, 100, and 125 metric tons/ha (dry weight basis) in the field to determine the effect on the growth and chemical composition of plants. Severe inhibition of germination of sorghum sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor x S. sudanense) cv. NB 280S, and millet (Panicum miliacium L.) cv. Leonard, resulted when seeded shortly after the sludge was incorporated into the soil. Stand counts for wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell [aestivum gray] cv. Centurk) seeded about 3 months after sludge incorporation snowed no germination inhibition. Either the inhibitory factor was dissipated or the wheat was more tolerant than the other plants. The decrease in sorghum sudangrass yields with sludge addition was a result of poor germination rather than growth inhibition due to the sewage sludge. With one exception, yields on sludge-treated wheat plots were greater or equal to the no-sludge plots. Based on wheat yields, the optimum application rate of the sludge used in this study was between 25 and 50 metric tons/ha. sludge application except for lead and phosphorus. In no case, even at 125 metric tons/ha was the elemental content of the wheat grain outside normal ranges excepted in plant tissues.

Key Words: municipal waste disposal or recycling • wheat growth • sorghum sudangrass

¹ Supported in part by Metropolitan Denver Sewage Disposal District No. 1 and by the Colorado State University Experiment Station and published as Scientific Series Paper No. 1972.

² Professor of Soils and Associate Professor of Agricultural Engineering, respectively, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80521.

Received for publication May 28, 1974.