Year 2026, Volume 72 Issue 2
| Year : | 2026 |
| Volume : | 72 |
| Issue : | 2 |
| Authors : | Rahma MEJRI; Ibrahim ERDAL |
| Title : | CONTRIBUTION OF DIFFERENT BIO-SOLIDS ON THE GROWTH, NPK NUTRITION AND NPK USE EFFICIENCY OF CORN UNDER DIFFERENT NPK DOSAGES |
| Abstract : | This study evaluated the effects of four bio-solids, biogas digestate (BD), alkaloid industry waste (ALK), industrial sewage sludge (ISS) and urban sewage sludge (USS) on the growth, NPK use efficiency and mineral nutrition of corn grown under different NPK dosages. The experimental soil was treated with BD, ALK, ISS and USS at rates of 0, 20, and 40 t ha-1 at 0, 20, and 40 t ha⁻¹ and three NPK levels (NPK0: 0, NPK1: 150–100–50, NPK2: 300–200–100 mg kg-1) then corn was grown for 2 months under greenhouse conditions. Plant dry weight (DW) increased significantly with both mineral fertilization and bio-solid applications. The lowest DW (6.48 g pot⁻¹) was recorded in the unfertilized conditions where no bio-solid or NPK application were done, whereas the highest values (23.6 g pot⁻¹) were obtained from 40 t ha-1 of BD+NPK2 and 40 t ha-1 of ISS+ NPK1 treatments. Mean DW increased from 11.6 g pot⁻¹ (NPK0) to 20.2 g pot⁻¹ (NPK2). Total N uptake ranged from 74 to 639 mg pot⁻¹. Benefit rate from fertilizer (BFF) for N varied between 5.6% and 48.9%, with BD and USS. Phosphorus uptake increased from 9.1 to 49.9 mg pot⁻¹, although fertilizer BFF for P remained low (<6%). Potassium uptake reached 890 mg pot⁻¹ under 40 t ha-1 of ISS+NPK1. Bio-solid applications generally promoted biomass accumulation. Low bio-solid dosage (20 t ha⁻¹) combined with reduced NPK improved nutrient use efficiency more effectively than high mineral inputs. Overall, ISS, BD, and USS demonstrated strong potential to partially substitute mineral fertilizers and support plant growth. |
| For citation : | Mejri, R., Erdal, I. (2026). Contribution of different bio-solids on the growth, NPK nutrition and NPK use efficiency of corn under different NPK dosages. Agriculture and Forestry, 72 (2): 137-152. https://doi:10.17707/AgricultForest.72.2.10 |
| Keywords : | bio-solid, NPK use efficiency, plant growth, plant nutrition |
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