Mixtures of papermill biosolids and pig slurry improve soil quality and growth of hybrid poplar

Abstract

AbstractHybrid poplar plantations in Quebec, Canada, are generally established on marginal agricultural lands characterized by low pH and low inherent soil fertility. Here, we tested the hypothesis that two potential organic fertilizer (OF) sources, papermill biosolids (PBs) and liquid pig slurry (LPS), would improve soil quality and the growth performance of hybrid poplars (Populus trichocarpa × Populus deltoides), especially if applied in mixtures rather than separately. The fertilizer treatments included an unfertilized control, inorganic fertilizer (IF) (calcium ammonium nitrate and triple superphosphate) and OFs (PBs alone, LPS alone and two combinations of PBs and LPS) applied at two rates. Fertilizers were broadcast within 1 m of tree trunks and unincorporated, to prevent damage to tree roots. Hybrid poplar growth was the greatest in plots fertilized with a combination of PBs and LPS, suggesting that the two OFs complemented themselves and/or interacted to improve soil nutritional quality. PBs were the most efficient at raising soil pH, providing plant‐available Ca and increasing nitrification rates over the long term, whereas LPS provided more readily available NO3‐N, P and K. Applied together, PBs and LPS interacted to provide more extractable P and mineralizable NH4‐N than when applied separately. OFs increased soil biological activity, notably basal respiration, microbial biomass, metabolic quotient and mineral N production rates. Community‐level catabolic profiles of the extractable soil microflora in plots with OFs differed significantly from the control and IF treatments. This implies that surface‐applied OFs may induce fundamental changes to the diversity and composition of microbial communities in the underlying rooting zone. Although this study has shown beneficial effects of OF mixtures on soil quality and hybrid poplar growth, further research should focus on their possible environmental impacts.