Abstract
Water treatment residual (WTR) is an underused clean water industry byproduct, generally disposed to landfill. This study assesses the benefits and risks of ferric‐WTR as a soil amendment or co‐amendment for plant growth in a nutrient‐poor sandy soil. A 12‐wk pot trial tested the efficacy of WTR and a locally available, low‐quality, municipal compost as single (1, 5, and 12.5% dry mass) and co‐amended treatments (1:1 WTR/compost ratio, at 2, 10, and 25%) on wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growth in a sandy soil. The low total N content of the compost and low WTR P and K contents resulted in significantly lower (up to 50% lower, p < 0.05) plant biomass in single amendments compared with the control, whereas the highest co‐amendment produced significantly higher plant biomass (33% higher, p < 0.05) than the control. This positive co‐amendment effect on plant growth is attributed to balanced nutrient provision, with P and K from the compost and N from the WTR. Foliar micronutrient and Al levels showed no toxic accumulation, and co‐amended foliar Mn levels increased from near deficient (20 mg kg −1 ) to sufficient (50 mg kg −1 ). Total WTR metals were well below maximum land application concentrations (USDA). Trace element bioavailability remained the same (Ni, Cu, and Hg) or significantly decreased (B, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, As, and Cd; p < 0.05) during the pot trial. These results suggest, within this context, that a WTR–compost co‐amendment is a promising soil improvement technology for increasing crop yields in sandy soils. Core Ideas Iron (Fe) water treatment residual (WTR) is a byproduct of potable water production. Wheat biomass increased by 33% when poor‐quality compost and Fe‐WTR were combined. Combined amendments and control outperformed single amendments of compost and WTR. Bioavailable metals measured after the pot trial did not increase. Co‐application of compost with WTR may counter the negative effects of P sorption.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Single compost or WTR amendments reduced wheat biomass up to 50% versus control.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivume1 - Treatment
- single amendmentse0
- Outcome
- plant biomasse0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Value
- 50%e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significantly lower (up to 50% lower, p < 0.05) plant biomass in single amendments compared with the control”
e1“wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growth”
Claim · model-written summary
The highest co-amendment increased wheat biomass by 33% versus control.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Treatment
- highest co‐amendmente0
- Outcome
- plant biomasse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 33%e0
- Comparator
- controle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the highest co‐amendment produced significantly higher plant biomass (33% higher, p < 0.05) than the control”
e1“wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growth”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors attributed the co-amendment growth effect to balanced nutrient provision.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Outcome
- plant growthe0
- Qualifier
- balanced nutrient provisione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This positive co‐amendment effect on plant growth is attributed to balanced nutrient provision, with P and K from the compost and N from the WTR”
e1“wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growth”
Claim · model-written summary
Foliar micronutrient and aluminium levels showed no toxic accumulation.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Organ / stage
- Foliare0
- Outcome
- no toxic accumulatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Foliar micronutrient and Al levels showed no toxic accumulation”
e1“wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growth”
Claim · model-written summary
Co-amendment increased foliar Mn from 20 to 50 mg kg −1.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Treatment
- co‐amendede0
- Outcome
- foliar Mn levelse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 50 mg kg −1e0
- Qualifier
- 20 mg kg −1e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“co‐amended foliar Mn levels increased from near deficient (20 mg kg −1 ) to sufficient (50 mg kg −1 )”
e1“wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growth”
Claim · model-written summary
WTR total metals were below USDA land application limits.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Outcome
- Total WTR metalse0
- Direction
- belowe0
- Comparator
- maximum land application concentrations (USDA)e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Total WTR metals were well below maximum land application concentrations (USDA)”
e1“wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growth”
Claim · model-written summary
Ni, Cu and Hg bioavailability remained the same during the pot trial.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Outcome
- Trace element bioavailabilitye0
- Direction
- remained the samee0
- Qualifier
- Ni, Cu, and Hge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Trace element bioavailability remained the same (Ni, Cu, and Hg) or significantly decreased (B, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, As, and Cd; p < 0.05) during the pot trial”
e1“wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growth”
Claim · model-written summary
B, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, As and Cd bioavailability significantly decreased during the pot trial.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Outcome
- Trace element bioavailabilitye0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Qualifier
- B, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, As, and Cde0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Trace element bioavailability remained the same (Ni, Cu, and Hg) or significantly decreased (B, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, As, and Cd; p < 0.05) during the pot trial”
e1“wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growth”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors recommend WTR-compost co-amendment to improve sandy soil for crop yield.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume1
- Outcome
- WTR–compost co‐amendment is a promising soil improvement technology for increasing crop yields in sandy soilse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a WTR–compost co‐amendment is a promising soil improvement technology for increasing crop yields in sandy soils”
e1“wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growth”
The same questions in other papers
other · growth · Triticum aestivum (wheat)Positive and negative results
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