Papermill biosolids and alkaline residuals affect crop yield and soil properties over nine years of continuous application

Abstract

Gagnon, B. and Ziadi, N. 2012. Papermill biosolids and alkaline residuals affect crop yield and soil properties over nine years of continuous application. Can. J. Soil Sci. 92: 917-930. Residues from paper and wood mills are a valuable source of nutrients for field crops, but little is known about the effectiveness of repeated applications over many years. A study was initiated at Yamachiche, QC, to assess the effect of continuous applications over 9 yr of combined papermill biosolids (PB), applied alone or with several liming by-products, on grain yield, plant nutrient accumulation, and soil fertility in a loamy soil cropped to grain corn, dry bean, and soybean. The PB treatments (0, 30, and 60 Mg wet ha-1) and liming by-products [calcitic lime (CL), lime mud (LM), wood ash (WA)], and two magnesium residuals, each at 3 Mg wet ha-1 along with 30 Mg PB ha-1) were surface applied annually at post-seeding. In the last 6 yr, the two treatments receiving magnesium residuals were replaced with 90 Mg wet PB ha-1...