Sewage sludge loading rates for wheat production in an arid environment

Evaluated the effects of sewage sludge loading rates on growth, yield, and heavy metal content on durum wheat Triticum durum grown in Brazito sandy loam soil. Wheat fertilized with the recommended rate of inorganic N and equivalent amounts of plant-available N from sewage sludge was similar in vegetative growth, grain yield and straw yield. Sewage sludge rates higher than the recommended plant-available N level resulted in slight increases in grain yield and number of days to heading. Sludge rates >3 times the recommended plant-available N level decreased the stand during the seedling stage. The loss of stand was compensated for, later in the season, by higher tillering. Cadmium, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn accumulations in wheat grain and straw and in the soil following each harvest were low and similar for all fertilizer treatments. -from Authors