Use of pine bark and sewage sludge compost as components of substrates for Pinus pinea and Cupressus arizonica production
2002
Guerrero, F. | Gasco, J.M. | Hernandez-Apaolaza, L.
The feasibility of using pine bark and composted sewage sludge to produce alternative substrates was studied. The substrates tested were 1 and 2) pine bark fertilized with 1 and 4 g L(-1) of a slow-release NPK fertilizer (15:11:13) and 3) a substrate in which 15% (v/v) of the pine bark was replaced by composted sewage sludge. Treatments abbreviated as PB, PB + N, and PB + CSS in text. Pinus pinea and Cupressus arizonica plants were grown in these substrates for 2 years and plant and substrate characteristics were tested periodically along the experiment. Additionally, nitrate and heavy metal concentrations were determined in leachates collected from each substrate. The suitability of the prepared substrates was appropriate for the production of Pinus pinea and Cupressus arizonica in real production conditions. The root/shoot dry weight ratio of both plant species in PB + N was significantly lower than in the other substrates. The highest nitrogen content in shoot corresponded to plants grown in the PB + N substrate, even though PB + CSS had higher nitrogen content than PB and PB + N substrates. Concentration of nitrate and heavy metals in leachates was lower than the level allowed in the European Union regulation.
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