Authors
Willis Gwenzi, Moreblessing Muzava, Farai Mapanda, Tonny P Tauro
Publication date
2016/6/1
Journal
Journal of Integrative Agriculture
Volume
15
Issue
6
Pages
1395-1406
Publisher
Elsevier
Description
Soil application of biochar from sewage could potentially enhance carbon sequestration and close urban nutrient balances. In sub-Saharan Africa, comparative studies investigating plant growth effect and nutrients uptake on tropical soils amended with sewage sludge and its biochar are very limited. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of sewage sludge and its biochar on soil chemical properties, maize nutrient and heavy metal uptake, growth and biomass partitioning on a tropical clayey soil. The study compared three organic amendments; sewage sludge (SS), sludge biochar (SB) and their combination (SS+SB) to the unamended control and inorganic fertilizers. Organic amendments were applied at a rate of 15 t ha−1 for SS and SB, and 7.5 t ha−1 each for SS and SB. Maize growth, biomass production and nutrient uptake were significantly improved in biochar and sewage sludge …
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