EDAFOLOGÍA, VOL 13. (3), PP 151-160 2006

MATERIA ORGÁNICA Y MOVILIDAD DE NITRÓGENO Y POTASIO EN UN ANTROSOL DEL SURESTE ESPAÑOL (ALICANTE) ENMENDADO CON LODO DE DEPURADORA.

M.B. ALMENDRO-CANDEL, J. NAVARRO-PEDREÑO, I. MELÉNDEZ-PASTOR, P. CÓRDOBA-SOLA, I. GÓMEZ-LUCAS
Departamento de Agroquímica y Medio Ambiente. Universidad Miguel Hernández. Edi- ficio Alcudia. Avda. de la Universidad s/n. 03202 Elche (Alicante). e-mail: jona- var@umh.es.


Abstract

The National Plan of sewage sludge of Spain indicates that, the main destination of these wastes is the use of them as fertilizers to improve nutrients and organic matter in soils. In order to evaluate the input of organic matter and the major nutrients (N and K) due to sludge application to soil, an experi- ment was carried out in soil columns and three rates of sewage sludge were applied: 30, 90 and 180 t·ha-1. Every 15 cm of soil depth, samples were taken and analyzed. The organic matter was increased by sewage sludge at it was expected and also the Kjeldahl nitrogen, from 0.37 g·kg-1 d.m. until a maximum value of 1.52 g·kg-1 d.m., whereas the potassium did not show significant variations. A great mineralization of ni- trogen was observed under these experimental conditions so important losses of inorganic nitrogen forms and pollution problems may be derived if sewage sludge is applied in similar conditions. Only surface ho- rizons have been affected by the treatments applied.


Key Words: Organic matter, Kjeldahl nitrogen, potassium, sewage sludge, calcareous soil