Elemental Relationships and Growth and Development of Spinach Grown with Sewage Sludge |
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| Authors: | Stavros Sotiropoulos Ioannis K Kalavrouziotis Sotiris Varnavas Christos Paschalidis Panagiotis H Koukoulakis |
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| Institution: | 1. ΕL.G.A., Nafplioou &2. Soutsou, Tripoli, Greece;3. School of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University, Patras, Greece;4. Department of Geology, University of Patra, Rio, Greece;5. Department of Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture, Technological Educational Institute of Kalamata, Kalamata, Greece;6. Department of Soil Science of Thessaloniki, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-”DEMETER”, Institute of Soil and Water Resources, Thessaloniki, Greece |
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| Abstract: | A pot experiment with spinach (Spinacia oleraceae L. Fam.: Chenopodiaceae) was conducted aiming to investigate the effect of the addition of sewage sludge (SS) on soil substrate, the growth of spinach, and the plant interactions of CaxCd and ZnxCd. There were six substrates obtained by mixing soil and sludge in different proportions by volume (20:1, 10:1, 6.7:1, 5.0:1, 4.0:1, 3.3:1) and a control (only soil). The highest biomass was achieved in treatments 20:1 and 10:1. There was not a linear increase due to toxicity when SS was added in higher proportions. Sludge improved soil fertility by increasing organic matter and total N. Furthermore, in all plant parts of spinach, the Ca and Zn contents were synergistically interrelated with the Cd content, facilitating Cd uptake. The use of sewage sludge as soil amendment is not applicable on agricultural land due to the accumulation of Cd in plant. |
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| Keywords: | Heavy metals interactions Sewage sludge soil fertility yield |
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