Ryegrass Utilization of Nutrients Released from Composted Biosolids and Cow Manure

Use of composts as soil amendments to enhance crop growth requires a knowledge of rates and amounts of nutrients released. A greenhouse study was conducted using ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) as a test plant to evaluate this release from composts. The experimental design consisted of four blocked replicates in a complete factorial with two types of compost (wastewater treatment plant biosolids and cow manure), four application rates (1, 2, 5 and 10 percent of weight of sand), and three fertilizer treatments (0, 100 mg N/kg mixture, and 100 mg P/kg mixture). Rye-grass top growth was harvested after 21 days. The regrowth was harvested three additional times. Roots were recovered after the fourth harvest. Total N uptake was significantly and positively affected by the total amount of N supplied by the compost or compost plus N fertilizer (r² values ranged from 0.992 to 0.999). Initial N uptake depended on the mineral N concentration in the compost and was higher from biosolids than from cow manure compost. Biosolids compost contained 10 times more mineral N and this N was primarily taken up in the first two harvests. Cow manure compost, however, provided N gradually over the entire 84 day test. In addition to N, both composts also supplied P, K, and other major and minor nutrients essential for plant growth.