Effect of Sewage Sludge on the Growth of Maize Crop

Abstract

Introduction having basal dose of NPK (120:90:35 kg haG ) and FYM Sewage sludge is the solid by-product of domestic and/or (35 ton haG ) were also included in the experiment in order industrial waste-water-treatment plants which has been t o compare their results with the sewage sludge. The soil spread on the land for decades, and its use will likely wi thout sludge and inorganic fertilizer was used as a increase in the future. The product Milorganite, a dried cont ro l. Each treatment was replicated thrice. All cultural s l udge has been used widely in North America since 1927. a n d agronomic practices were followed throughout the There ar e many reports from all over the world that exper iment. Maize seeds were sown on 23 July 1998. The Sewage Sludge material can be effectively used as a sowing was done with dibbling method. During the harvest, source of fertilizer for crop yield and for improving physical t h e following different parameters of maize crop were and chemical properties of soils (Subbiah and Sree Ramulu, measured and recorded. 1980; Benmouffok, 1994). Korentajer (1991) reported increased supply of major plant nutrients particularly N and 1. Germination % P, along with some of the essential micronutrient (e.g. Zn, C u, Mo and Mn) and improvement in the soil physical properties with the application of sewage sludge. F o rd et al. (1993) conducted an experiment on the effect of sewage sludge on soil properties and crop growth. After four years of testing no harmful effects on the chemical or microbiological constituents were found in the crop mater ia l or soil from test plots, the soil physical properties were improved and crop yield was increased. C h ristodoullakis and Margaris (1996) conducted an expe r iment in which maize was pot-grown in nutrient d e ficient sandy soil. Sewage sludge application promoted g rowth in maize, compared with the application of t rad i t ional fertilizer. Plant height in maize increased by 77% in the sludge treated pots compared with 25% in plants treated with chemical fertilizers. Keepin g in view the importance of sewage sludge in Agriculture, the experiment was conducted in order to s t u d y its influence on Maize crop under the Agro-climatic condition of D.I.Khan.