Wheat responds to sewage sludge as fertilizer in an arid environment

Triticum durum was grown on a sandy loam soil and fertilized with recommended rates of inorganic N and recommended rates of plant-available N from anaerobically digested liquid sewage sludge. Fertilization with sludge increased number of days from planting to heading, plant height, and tillering. The low sludge rate and the inorganic N treatment produced similar yields of hay, grain, and straw. High sludge rate produced the most hay and straw, but did not result in a significant increase in grain yield. Wheat hay, grain, and straw grown with sewage sludge and inorganic N were similar in livestock feeding qualities. Heavy metal concentrations in wheat hay, grain, and straw were low in all fertilizer treatments. When wheat was grown to maturity, more heavy metals accumulated in grain than in straw. -from Authors