Abstract
Aquatic vegetation is a potential source of organic matter and nutrients for crop production and soil sustainability. However, its high water content and presence of toxic compounds have been major deterrents for commercial application. This split-pot study evaluated the application of <em>Pistia stratiotes</em> (PS) (water lettuce) and <em>Lyngbya wollei</em> (LW) (filamentous cyanobacteria) to grow rice and sorghum. The aquatic vegetation was applied as dried and composted amendments on sandy (&lt;3% organic matter) and muck (&gt;80% organic matter) soils. A completely randomized split-pot design evaluated the effect of the amendments on root dry weight (RDW), shoot dry weight (SDW), and nutrient content of above ground biomass. The application of dried PS and LW on sandy soil produced larger and heavier sorghum shoots than those grown under composted treatments. Soil type was not a determinant factor of plant nutrient content: total Kjeldahl nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and silicon. Shoot dry weight of rice grown on sandy soils was significantly greater than grown on muck soils using dried LW and composted LW treatments. The allelopathic effects of PS and LW were more pronounced on sandy soil compared to muck soil, indicating the potential application for using aquatic vegetation as a soil amendment on sandy soil in the future.
Highlights
The presence of invasive aquatic vegetation in farm canals can impede drainage and irrigation and is cause for environmental concerns if not controlled properly (Alam et al, 1995; Ndimele et al, 2011)
Separation of means for sorghum showed that the plant had significantly greater shoot dry weight (SDW) when they contained half-pot treatment of dried FAV in sandy soils compared to composted Lyngbya wollei (LW) in sandy soils, and dried and composted Pistia stratiotes (PS) in muck soils; treatments in muck soils did not present significant differences among them
Statistical analysis of soil and FAV main effects showed that on average P concentration in the plant was greater in muck soil, and when LW was used as an amendment compared to PS
Summary
The presence of invasive aquatic vegetation in farm canals can impede drainage and irrigation and is cause for environmental concerns if not controlled properly (Alam et al, 1995; Ndimele et al, 2011). Wilkie and Evans (2010) proposed three major concerns that have typically hampered the large-scale utilization projects for invasive aquatic vegetation These are (i) the high upfront capital costs and complexity of utilization programs relative to operational cost associated with a control program; (ii) the “perceived” low value of products from aquatic plants relative to the expense of handling feedstock that is composed of almost 90% water; (iii) the possibility that any demonstration of value for invasive aquatic vegetation could have the perverse effect of speeding. While all these factors remain as important considerations, ongoing research into the beneficial uses of aquatic vegetation has the potential to reevaluate the current control strategies for many water bodies
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