2 research outputs found
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Degraded arid soil reclamation for cotton cultivation using organic waste amendments
Qatar is one of the most fertilizer-dependent countries due to challenging soil and climatic conditions. The country strives toward self-sufficiency in agricultural production in alignment with the Qatar National Vision 2030. Hence, this work investigates the potential of utilizing nutrient-rich resources that are currently wasted for the reclamation of degraded arid soils to support the cultivation of industrial crops such as cotton (Gossypium spp.). Two abundant organic wastes, industrial biosludge and cow dung compost, were employed as soil amendments at a 3% application rate on a silty loam soil with relatively high salinity (electrical conductivity = 5.60 dS/m) and compared with conventional chemical fertilization. Cotton (May 344 variety) was then grown on the biowaste-amended soils in lysimeters for ten months (March through January) spanning through the hot season in Qatar, with the average temperature ranging from 19 to 37 °C. Soil properties and plant growth characteristics, including soil metal concentrations, days to germination and flowering, plant height, and cotton yield, were determined at set periods. The results indicated that different from the chemical fertilizer treatment, the organic amendments led to a significant release of potassium eight months after planting, roughly twice the concentration available at the initial sampling period. In all treatments, soil magnesium and iron concentrations generally increased, while phosphorus and zinc decreased over time. There was generally no significant difference in the concentrations of metals analyzed such as chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc between soils amended with the organic wastes and chemical fertilizer. The concentrations of metals were below the regulatory limits for sewage sludge applied to soils. The days to germination were 2, 9, and 11, while the days to flowering were 61, 92, and 77 for the cow dung compost, biosludge, and fertilizer treatments, respectively. The average cumulative plant heights were 74, 65, and 63 cm, while the average cumulative cotton boll yield was 7.3, 5.4, and 2.6 tons/ha, respectively, in the cow dung compost, biosludge, and fertilizer treatments. The results demonstrate that the organic amendments, especially cow dung compost, can help reclamation of degraded/saline arid soils under the described pedo-climatic conditions
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Recycling of gas-to-liquid sludge as a potential organic amendment: effect on soil and cotton properties under hyperarid conditions
Gas-to-liquid (GTL) sludge is a specific wastewater treatment by-product, which is generated during the industrial process of natural gas conversion to transportation fuels. This least studied sludge is pathogen-free and rich in organic carbon and plant nutrients. Therefore, it can be reused for soil enhancement as a sustainable management strategy to mitigate landfill gas emissions. In this field study, we compared the performance of soil treatments with GTL sludge to the more conventional chemical fertilizers and cow manure compost for the cultivation of cotton under hyperarid conditions. After a complete growing season, GTL sludge application resulted in the enhancement of soil properties and plant growth compared to conventional inputs. As such, there was a significant dose-dependent increase of soil organic matter (4.01% and 4.54%), phosphorus (534 and 1090 mg kg−1), and cumulative lint yield (4.68 and 5.67 t ha−1) for GTL sludge application rates of 1.5% and 3%, respectively. The produced fiber quality was adequate for an upland cotton variety (Gossypium hirsutum var. MAY 344) and appeared more dependent on the prevailing climate conditions than soil treatments. On the other hand, the adverse effects generally related to industrial sludge reuse were not significant and did not affect the designed agro-environmental system. Accordingly, plants grown on GTL sludge-amended soils showed lower antioxidant activity despite significant salinity increase. In addition, the concentrations of detected heavy metals in soil were within the standards’ limits, which did not pose environmental issues under the described experimental conditions. Leachate analysis revealed no risks for groundwater contamination with phytotoxic metals, which were mostly retained by the soil matrix. Therefore, recycling GTL sludge as an organic amendment can be a sustainable solution to improve soil quality and lower carbon footprint. To reduce any environmental concerns, an application rate of 1.5% could be provisionally recommended since a two-fold increase in sludge dose did not result in a significant yield improvement