Agro-Industry Sludge as a Potential Organic Fertilizer for Prompt Nitrogen Release |
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| Authors: | Toselli Moreno Marcolini Graziella Baldi Elena Quartieri Maurizio Sorrenti Giovambattista Muzzi Enrico |
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| Institution: | Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy |
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| Abstract: | The aim of this study was to evaluate the sustainability of an agro-industry sludge as a nitrogen (N) fertilizer in perennial crops by assessing its dynamics of release of: 1) N as ammonium (NH4+)- and nitrate (NO3?)-N, and 2) carbon as soil respiration. In incubation assay, application of agro-industry sludge promoted the maximum NH4+-N concentration (50 mg kg?1) 2 h after application, then it decreased with time until day 26. NO3?-N increased, reaching the maximum between day 60 and day 100, according to a second degree function. Agro-industry sludge showed a slower release of NO3?-N compared with urea. Soil basal respiration and cumulative amount of carbon dioxide were higher in sludge from day 71 on. In field, soil NO3?-N increased after fertilization treatments and was higher in Calcari Stagnic Cambisols soil. Sludge showed a potential lower environment impact in terms of mineral N release, than urea. |
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| Keywords: | Ammonium-N carbon dioxide microbial carbon nitrate-N poplar short rotation coppice soil respiration |
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