ARTICLE IN PRESS

Soil Biology & Biochemistry 39 (2007) 1348–1354

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Plant nutrients in a degraded soil treated with water treatment sludge

and cultivated with grasses and leguminous plants
Sandra Tereza Teixeira, Wanderley José de Melo, Érica Tomé Silva
Laboratório de Biogeoquı´mica, Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade do Estado de São Paulo, Via de
Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, Km 5. CEP 14884-900, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
Available online 26 December 2006

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate rates for applications of water treatment sludge (WTS) as a nutrient source for grasses and
leguminous plants cropped in a soil degraded by tin mining in the Amazon Region (Natural Forest of Jamari, Rondonia State, Brazil). The
treatments consisted of three rates of nitrogen supplied by WTS (100, 150 and 200 mg kg1 soil), five combinations of plants, two controls
(absolute control, without fertilization; and chemical control, soil+lime+chemical fertilizers). WTS modified the contents of macro and
micronutrients in the degraded soil, but it was not, as used in the present study, sufficient for the rehabilitation of the degraded area.
r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Soil rehabilitation; Mining; Residue; Soil fertility; Amazon Basin

1. Introduction processes and it is constituted basically of clay, sand, silt and

Mining affects ecosystems directly, giving rise to altera-
tions in soil topography and to soil chemical, physical and
biological properties, to soil vegetation and to the soil
water dynamic. It also eliminates many species of the wild
fauna or modifies their habitats. The disruption of the
nutrient cycles and the soil impoverishment caused by
mining is a consequence of the depletion of organic matter
and the loss of nutrients by increased leaching and erosion.
Thus the rehabilitation of degraded soils requires nutrients
amendments and the replenishment of organic matter.
The growth of urban centres has generated problems by
giving rise to sanitary residues and industrial sludges, as
well as the sludge produced in the water treatment plants
(WTP), or water treatment sludges (WTS).
One of the strategies used to reclaim degraded areas and
to improve soil quality for plant growth involves the
addition of residues, such as sewage sludge, bovine
manure, and composted urban solid waste.
The WTS is the sediment formed in the decanters of the
WTPs as a consequence of the coagulation and flocculation
Corresponding author. Tel.: +55 016 3209 2675x228;
fax: +55 016 3209 2675.
E-mail address: wjmelo@fcav.unesp.br (W. José de Melo).
humic substances. Because of its composition, land applica-
tion is a feasible option for the disposal of WTS (Awwa,
1999). Application to land can promote the improvement of
soil structure, the adjustment of pH, and the addition of plant
nutrients. However, WTS can increase the soil content of
heavy metals and increase the adsorption of phosphorous (P).
It is important to combine WTS applications with an
appropriate vegetative covering. Such cover promotes the
reduction of soil erosion and nutrient leaching, mainly
nitrogen, improves soil physical and chemical properties,
and it gives rise to moisture conservation (Dechen et al.,
1981). The plant growth generates the input of organic
substances and initiates nutrient cycling.
The present study had the objective of evaluating the use
of grasses and legumes, in association with WTS, for the
rehabilitation of a soil degraded by tin mining in the
Amazon Basin.
2. Material and methods
2.1. Location, experimental design and treatments
The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse located in
Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil (211210 S and 481260 W). Temperature

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doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.12.011
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
S.T. Teixeira et al. / Soil Biology & Biochemistry 39 (2007) 1348–1354
was controlled in the range 25–28 1C. The experimental design
was totally randomized, including two controls (absolute
control, with no soil correction and mineral fertilizer and
chemical control, with soil+limestone+mineral fertilizer),
three rates of nitrogen (N) as WTS (100, 150 and 200 mg kg1
soil), and five plant combinations, with four repetitions. The
five plant combinations were: Senna multijuga; Stizolobium
aterrimum+Senna multijuga; Canavalia ensiformis+Senna mul-
tijuga; Brachiaria decumbens+Senna multijuga; and Panicum
maximum cv. tanzânia+Senna multijuga.
2.2. Characterization of the degraded soil and WTS
The soil, before mining, was classified as Typic
Haplodox (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária
(EMBRAPA), 1997). Samples, taken from the 0–20 cm
layer, had the following physico-chemical properties: pH
(CaCl2), 4.9; 3 g kg1 organic matter; P (resin extracted),
8 mg kg1; potassium (K), 0.5 mmolc kg1; calcium (Ca),
5.0 mmolc kg1; magnesium (Mg), 2.0 mmolc kg1; hydro-
gen (H)+aluminium (Al), 12 mmolc kg1; sulphate-sulphur
(SO2 1 1
4 -S), 7.5 mmolc kg ; CEC, 19.5 mmolc kg ; and base
saturation, 38%. Chemical analyses were carried out
according to Raij et al. (1996).
The WTS was obtained from the Water Treatment
Station of Araraquara, SP, Brazil. Ferric chloride was the
coagulant used and lime was added to control the pH in the
reaction medium. A suction pump, installed at the end of
the treatment unit, was turned on during the discharge of
the sludge for 10 consecutive days. Composite samples
from the discharge were conditioned in a fiber container
(1000 l capacity). The supernatant was removed daily by
siphoning; And when the residue approached 98%
moisture it was removed from the container, conditioned
in plastic pots, and transported to the experiment site.
There it was transferred to a fiber container (500 l capacity)
and kept open for 20 days. During that period, The
supernatant was siphoned off daily in order to decrease the
moisture content to about 94%. Then a sample was taken
for chemical and physical characterizations. The physico-
chemical properties of the prepared WTS were: moisture,
98%; organic-C, 10.5 g kg1; total-N, 2 g kg1; P, 1 g kg1;
K, 2.2 g kg1; Ca, 121 g kg1; Mg, 4 g kg1; S, 4 g kg1; iron
(Fe), 167 g kg1; zinc (Zn), 66 mg kg1; copper (Cu),
149 mg kg1; manganese (Mn), 1683 mg kg1; lead (Pb),
8.4 mg kg1; chromium (Cr), 86 mg kg1; nickel (Ni),
27 mg kg1; cadmium (Cd), 6 mg kg1; clay, 260 g kg1;
silt, 315 g kg1; and sand, 425 g kg1. Organic-C was
determined by wet oxidation (Dabin, 1971), total-N by
the Kjeldahl method (Bremner, 1996), and the other
elements were determined in the extracts of digests with
HNO3, HCl and H2O2 (USEPA, 1995).
2.3. Experimental procedure
Pots (6 kg capacity) were filled with 5 kg of degraded soil.
WTS was applied to the soil surface daily during 15 days,
1349
based on the water-holding capacity and the treatment. In
this way leaching was avoided. The soil from each pot was
removed after half of the dose had been applied, placed on
trays, homogenized, then returned to the respective pot,
and the other half of the treatment was applied. When all
of the WTS had been applied, the soil was again removed
from the pots, placed on trays, dried at room temperature,
passed through a soil mill, homogenized, and returned to
the respective pot. Dolomitic limestone (TNP, 131%) was
then applied to the pots to elevate base saturation to 70%
(3.3, 3.6, 3.7 and 3.9 g pot1 for the chemical control, D100,
D150 and D200, respectively). After liming, the pots were
irrigated with distilled water to about 70% of the water
retention capacity, then covered with paper and kept in the
greenhouse for 30 days. Water lost by evaporation was
replaced every 2 days. After the incubation period the soil
was removed from the pots, placed on plastic trays, air
dried, and sieved to 2 mm.
On the day S. multijuga was transplanted, a complete
mineral fertilization was applied for the chemical control.
This consisted of 150 mg N (ammonium sulphate), 150 mg
P (triple superphosphate), 50 mg K (potassium chloride),
and 30 ml of a mixture of micronutrients (Melo et al.,
1998). Thirty days after transplanting, each pot of this
chemical control received 150 mg N and 50 mg K. The
treatments D100, D150 and D200 received NPK fertilization
based on the content of the nutrients in the WTS to bring
the nutrients applied up to the amounts in the chemical
control. The same micronutrients fertilization was applied
for all treatments.
S. aterrimum, C. ensiformis, P. maximum cv. Tanzânia,
and B. decumbens were transplanted 129 days after the
transplanting of S. multijuga and left to grow for 60 d.
2.4. Soil and data analysis
Sixty days after the legumes and grasses were trans-
planted, the plants were cut near the soil surface, the soil
was removed from each pot, and roots were separated from
the soil. The soil samples were air-dried in the shade,
pounded to break up clods, homogenized, sieved (2 mm),
placed in polyethylene pots and stored in a dry chamber
until analysed.
Soil samples were analysed for pH (in 0.01 mol l1
CaCl2, potential acidity (H+Al), resin extractable K, Ca,
Mg, and P (Raij et al., 1996) and sulphate-S in the
ammonium acetate extract (Vitti, 1988). Fe, Cu, Mn and
Zn were determined by atomic absorption spectrophoto-
metry in the DPTA extract (Lindsay and Norwell, 1978). B
was evaluated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in
the hot water extract (Raij et al., 1996).
The results were submitted to an analysis of variance,
and when the F-test was significant at Po0.05 or Po0.01,
the Tukey test was applied for means comparison
(Banzatto and Kronka, 1992).
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
1350 S.T. Teixeira et al. / Soil Biology & Biochemistry 39 (2007) 1348–1354

3. Results and Ca, but H+Al were not affected. The high contents of
Ca resulting from WTS application led to a decrease in
The effect of WTS on the soil fertility attributes can be H+Al. Similar results were obtained by Abreu Jr., et al.
observed in Table 1. WTS increased the soil pH from 5.5 to (2001) who applied composted solid urban waste to soil.
7.9, corroborating with the data obtained by Elliott and WTS increased soil extractable Mg as compared to the
Singer (1988). WTS also increased the content of soil controls, and the values are considered to be high, based on
organic matter, although the values were still considered to the results of Raij et al. (1996).
be low after the treatment. The contribution of WTS to the Table 3 shows data for base saturation (BS), cation
soil organic matter was small since the amount of organic exchange capacity (CEC), and extractable sulphate-S. The
matter in the WTS applied was small. The contents of P soil treated with WTS influenced BS and CEC. The
extracted by resin increased in relation to the absolute chemical control affected BS and sulphate-S. The cropped
control by 11 mg dm3. plants affected only sulphate-S (Table 4).
The data obtained for exchangeable K, Ca, Mg and The application of WTS to the soil caused a variation in
H+Al are presented in Table 2. The contents of potassium CEC from 23 to 345 mmolc kg1, but it is necessary to
did differ between the controls and the treatments that remember that CEC was estimated by the sum of K, Ca,
received WTS. Considering the effects of WTS rates, it is Mg and H+Al, a method used by the Braziliam soil
observed that the increase in the application rates gave rise analysis laboratory (Raij et al., 1996).
to a reduction in exchangeable K, and an increase in Mg The data obtained for plant micronutrients in soil are
presented in Table 5. The soil Fe content increased from
Table 1 3.00 (absolute control) to 58.80 mg kg1 (D200). The
Values of pH, organic matter and phosphorus in a degraded soil treated increase in Fe content was related to dose applied. Rates
with WTS and cultivated with grasses and legumes 189 days after the plant of WTS did not affect the soil Zn content, but there was an
cultivation had started
interaction between the cover plant species and the rates of
Treatments pH (in CaCl2) Organic matter P (resin method) WTS applied. The Cu content increased linearly with the
(g kg1) (g kg1) WTS rates applied. Also, the soil Mn content increased
with WTS addition. The content of boron (B) decreased as
Control 6.15ba 2.3b 14.1a
Factorial 7.86a 5.4a 16.7a
the rates of applications of WTS increased.
F-test 2717.21**b 195.51** 1.75nsc The cropped plants affected such soil attributes as
extractable K, potential acidity (Tables 1 and 2),
Controls
Absolute 5.92a 2.0a 7.0b
sulphate-S (Tables 3 and 4), and Fe, Mn, Zn, and B
Chemical 6.37b 2.3a 21.3a contents (Table 5). The K content was lower in the
F-test 52.29** 0.32 ns 12.6** presence of S. multijuga and higher in the presence of
Ratesd
P. maximum cv. tanzania. C. ensiformis and S. multijuga
D100 7.89a 5.2a 17.3a caused lower and higher soil potential acidity, respectively.
D150 7.89a 5.3ab 15.0a B. decumbens caused lower sulphate-S content in soil when
D200 7.87a 5.8b 18.1a the rates of WTS were D100 and D200, but when the rate
F-test 0.54 ns 5.0*e 1.09 ns was D150, the lowest value of sulphate-S was caused by
Plants C. ensiformis. On the other hand, the highest values of
Stizolobium 7.87a 5.6a 16.5a sulphate-S were caused by S. aterrimum (D100) and
aterrinum S. multifaga (D150, D200). Thus, the highest and lowest
Panicum 7.89a 5.2a 16.7a
maximum cv.
values of sulphate-S were affected by different cover plants
tanzania when different rates of WTS were applied. The content
Senna 7.87a 5.6a 15.2a of soil extractable Fe was higher in the presence of
multijuga S. aterrimum, but the Fe contents did not vary in the cases
Canavalia 7.90a 5.3a 16.7a of the other test plants. The highest soil extractable Mn
ensiformis
Brachiaria 7.87a 5.4a 19.8a
contents were observed in the soil cropped with
decumbens S. aterrimum, S. mulfifaga and B. decumbens, and the
F-test 0.51 ns 1.12 ns 1.06 ns lowest contents were observed in those cropped with P.
Interaction 0.70 ns 1.22 ns 0.41 ns maximum and C. ensiformis. Cropping with C. ensiformis
rates  plants and B. decumbens gave the highest contents of soil Zn.
VC (%) 1.15 12.41 34.17
a
Means followed by the same letters in the columns are not different by 4. Discussion
the Tukey test (Pp0.05).
b
**, significant at Po0.01. WTS gave rise to an increase in soil pH as a consequence
c
ns, not significant.
d
D100, D150, D200 ¼ 100, 150 and 200 mg kg1 of N as WTS,
of the use of hydrated lime in the water treatment process
respectively. (Awwa, 1990). Despite its alkaline characteristics (TNP, 28;
e
*, significant at Po0.05. CaO, 9.8; and MgO, 4.2%) WTS is not considered to be a
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
S.T. Teixeira et al. / Soil Biology & Biochemistry 39 (2007) 1348–1354 1351

Table 2
Calcium, magnesium, potassium and potential acidity in a degraded soil treated with WTS and cultivated with grasses and legumes 189 days after the plant
cultivation had started

Treatments Ca2+ (mmolc kg1) Mg2+ (mmolc kg1) K+ (mmolc kg1) H++Al3+ (mmolc kg1)

Controls 11.8ba 5.6b 2.3a 10.6a

Factorial 307.62a 23.4a 2.41a 6.27b
F-test 804.90**b 154.17** 0.99 nsc 739.27**
Controls
Absolute 9.00a 2.00a 1.88b 10.25b
Chemical 14.50a 9.25b 2.68a 11.00a
F-test 0.08 ns 7.27** 10.09** 6.20*d

Ratese
D100 299a 19.2c 2.8a 6.4a
D150 314a 23.0b 2.4b 6.4a
D200 310a 28.0a 2.0c 6.1a
F-test 1.63 ns 26.93** 24.40** 2.35 ns
MSD (5%) 21.15 2.90 0.27 0.33
Plants
S. aterrinum 320a 23.6a 2.2b 6.3ab
P. maximum cv. tanzania 294a 22.5a 2.7a 6.1b
S. multijuga 308a 23.5a 1.5c 6.7a
C. ensiformis 300a 23.5a 2.9a 6.1b
B. decumbens 316a 23.9a 2.7a 6.3ab
F-test 1.81 ns 0.23 ns 29.02** 3.77**
MSD (5%) 32.00 4.39 0.41 0.50
Interaction rates  plants 0.53 ns 1.61 ns 1.44 ns 1.15 ns
VD (%) 10.16 17.85 14.89 6.28
a
Means flowed by the same letters in the columns are not different by the Tukey test (Pp0.05).
b
**, significant at Po0.01.
c
ns, not significant.
d
*, significant at Po0.05.
e
D100, D150, D200 ¼ 100, 150 and 200 mg kg1 of N as WTS, respectively.

liming material. Impurities, such as clay and silica probably
contributed to a diminishing of the neutralizing power of
the residue. However, WTS will raise soil pH, depending
on its alkalinity, on the rates applied, and on the resistance
of the soil to pH change. Bugbee and Frink (1985) obtained
increments from 0.5 to 1.0 pH unit in the 0–10 cm layer of
forest soils by applying WTS. Heil and Barbarick (1989)
observed increases in soil pH from 4.0 for 7.0 after
applying WTS at rates of 0.5% and 2.5%. The implications
for soils with pH close to the neutrality, or slightly alkaline
are: (a) high contents of Ca, Mg, and K; (b) high BS; (c)
loss of N by volatilization; (d) deficiency of P due to the
formation of insoluble phosphates; (e) a deficiency of
micronutrients (except Mo and Cu); and (f) a decrease in
availability of heavy metals and in the growth of some
plant species. The pH increase can be controlled by
decreasing the rates of application of WTS.
Phosphorus deficiency limits plant growth. WTS pro-
vides small concentrations of total P and high concentra-
tions of iron hydroxide leading to the immobilization of
inorganic P (Awwa, 1990). Based on the rates of WTS used
in this experiment, there are two explanations for the
contents of soil P found. Firstly, the resin methodology
used for extracting soil P was probably not adapted for use
with soil treated with WTS. In that case, the method of
Olsen and Sommers (1982) for extraction of P could be
tested. Secondly, the WTS has a high capacity for P
adsorption (Elliott and Singer, 1988; Awwa, 1990; Skene et
al., 1995) because of its high contents of iron hydroxides
and clay.
WTS increased the soil Ca content to values as high as
299 (D100) and 310 mmolc kg1 (D200), but the high Ca
contents did not affect plant growth. The possibility of soil
salinization is one of the main problems associated with the
increase of exchangeable bases, as was observed by Oliveira
et al. (2002).
The CEC was obtained through the sum of the exchange-
able cations and H+Al; CEC ¼ (Ca, Mg, K, H+Al), a
method used in the Brazilian soil analysis laboratories (Raij
et al., 1996). A possible excess of free cations in the soil
solution, mainly Ca, can lead to an overestimation of the
CEC. In our experiment CEC ranged from 326 (D100) to
345 mmolc kg1 (D200). These values are very high, and so it
can be assumed that the determination of CEC by the
method of the sum of exchangeable cations with H+Al is
not appropriate for soils that received rates of residues rich
in exchangeable cations. These data corroborate with those
obtained by Abreu Jr., et al. (2001) and Oliveira et al. (2002).
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
1352 S.T. Teixeira et al. / Soil Biology & Biochemistry 39 (2007) 1348–1354

Table 3 were grown. This finding is explained by the fact that

Cation exchange capacity, base saturation, and sulphate-S in a degraded C. ensiformis, P. maximum cv. tanzania and B. decumbens
soil treated with WTS and cultivated with grasses and legumes 189 days
did not have good growth, and took up less K than the
after the plant cultivation had started
legumes. The soil sulphate-S concentration was very high
Treatments CEC BS (%) SO2
4 -S based on the limits considered by Raij et al. (1996), and
(mmolc kg1) (mg kg1) increasing rates of the WTS decreased the anion concen-
tration (Table 3). The content of sulphate-S in the soil was
Control 30.3ba 62.5b 95a
Factorial 339a 98.0a 101a affected by the cover plant. The highest amounts were
F-test 760.52**b 1926.50** 0.43 nsc obtained for S. aterrimum and S. multifaga, whereas the
lowest values were obtained for B. decumbens. The
Controls
Absolute 23.1a 55.6b 59b amounts were also affected by the combination of cover
Chemical 37.4a 69.3a 131a plant and WTS application rates (Table 4). The lowest
F-test 0.46 ns 78.94** 19.11** concentration of sulphate-S occurred when B. decumbens
Ratesd was the cover plant and the rates of application of WTS
D100 326a 98.0a 112a were D100 and D200, and the highest concentration was
D150 346a 98.0a 100ab observed when the cover plant was S. aterrinum and the
D200 345a 98.0a 90b rate of WTS was D100.
F-test 2.85 ns 0.0 ns 4.50*e
The soil content of the resin extractable plant micro-
MSD (5%) 22.71 1.64 17.86
nutrients, except for Zn, was increased by the application
Plants rate of WTS, as observed by the data in Table 5. As seen in
S. aterrinum 352a 98.0a 118a
Table 1, the soil pH was higher than 7.0, which may cause
P. maximum cv. tanzania 326a 98.0a 96ab
S. multijuga 340a 98.0a 117a plant micronutrients, with the exceptions of Mo and Cu, to
C. ensiformis 332a 98.0a 97ab become unavailable to plants. But, according to Camargo
B. decumbens 345a 98.0a 76b et al. (1982), increases in the soil pH values may not result
F-test 1.47 ns 0.00 ns 6.9** in the reduction of the phytoavailability of micronutrients.
MSD (5%) 34.37 2.80 27.20
The contents of resin extractable Fe and Cu caused by
Interaction rates  plants 0.66 ns 0.40 ns 2.80**
VC (%) 9.83 2.90 23.40 applications of WTS are considered to be high in terms of
plant nutrition (Raij et al., 1996).
a
Means followed by the same letters in the columns are not different by The low B contents found in the treatments that had
the Tukey test (Pp0.05).
b received WTS can be related to pH and the amount of
**, significant at Po0.01.
c
ns, not significant. hydrated lime added to the soil in the residue. According to
d
D100, D150, D200 ¼ 100, 150 and 200 mg kg1 of N as WTS, Moreira et al. (2000) the adsorption of B is significantly
respectively. increased under those conditions.
e
*, significant at Po0.05. Soil Zn extracted by the resin method was affected by the
interactions plant–WTS rates as shown in Table 5. For this
plant nutrient, the cover plant that caused the lowest or the
Table 4 highest value varied according to the WTS rate (Table 6).
Sulphate-S in a degraded soil treated with WTS and cultivated with The plants that caused the lowest values for resin
grasses and legumes 189 days after the plant cultivation had started extractable Zn were S. aterrimum (D100), C. ensiformis
Plants D100 (S- D150 (S- D200 (S- (D150) and S. multifaga (D200). On the other hand, the
sulphate, sulphate, sulphate, plants that caused the highest values for extractable Zn
mg kg1 soil) mg kg1 soil) mg kg1 soil) were C. ensiformis (D100) and B. decumbens (D150 and
S. aterrinum 136 Aaa 120 Aab 96 ABb
D200). That means that, when applying WTS to soil, as
P. maximum cv. 134 Aa 99 ABa 85 ABa used in the present study, it is important to select plants
tanzania that will give acceptable responses.
S. multijuga 110 Aba 123 Aa 120 Aa
C. ensiformis 108 Aba 71 Bb 85 Aba 5. Conclusions
B. decumbens 72 Ba 90 ABa 67 Ba
a
Means followed by the same capital letters in the columns and small The present study was carried out to evaluate the
letters in the lines are not different by the Tukey test (Po0.05). possibility of improving a degraded soil by applications
of WTS. When considering the application of WTS for this
purpose attention should first be given to the nature of the
The exchangeable K content was affected by cropping residue. As WTS has a high moisture content, it is possible
with grasses and legumes. It was verified that the contents that its application as water irrigation is the best practise.
of K were higher in the pots growing P. maximum cv. However, because the residue tends to form a crust on the
tanzânia, C. ensiformis and B. decumbens, and differed soil surface attention should be given to the ways in which
from those in the pots where S. aterrinum and S. multijuga the applications affect the soil physical properties.
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
S.T. Teixeira et al. / Soil Biology & Biochemistry 39 (2007) 1348–1354 1353

Table 5
Copper, iron, manganese, zinc and boron in a degraded soil treated with WTS and cultivated with grasses and legumes 189 days after the plant cultivation
started

Treatments Cu (mmolc kg1) Fe (mmolc kg1) Mn (mmolc kg1) Zn (mmolc kg1) B (mmolc kg1)

Controls 0.5ba 3.1b 0.9b 1.6b 0.2a

Factorial 1.54a 50.38a 2.58a 2.77a 0.28a
F-test 126**b 1870** 138** 19.7** 1.03 nsc
Controls
Absolute 0.1b 3.0a 0.9a 0.1b 0.02a
Chemical 0.9a 3.3a 1.0a 3.2a 0.4b
F-test 17.64** 0.01 ns 0.14 ns 41.17** 60.32**

Ratesd
D100 1.2c 43c 2.2b 3.0a 0.2a
D150 1.5b 49b 2.4b 2.7a 0.2a
D200 1.9a 59a 3.2a 2.6a 0.1b
F-test 29.18** 151.47** 40.95** 1.29 ns 6.49**
MSD (5%) 0.19 2.22 0.29 0.52 0.05
Plants
S. aterrinum 1.5a 54a 2.9a 2.5b 0.2a
P. maximum cv. tanzania 1.6a 50b 2.4b 2.6b 0.2a
S. multijuga 1.5a 49b 2.8ab 2.5b 0.2a
C. ensiformis 1.6a 49b 2.3b 2.8ab 0.2a
B. decumbens 1.6a 50b 2.6ab 3.4a 0.2a
F-test 0.83 ns 4.69** 4.62** 4.05*e 0.45 ns
MSD (5%) 0.29 3.35 0.44 0.78 0.08
Interaction rates  plants 0.53 ns 0.81 ns 1.62 ns 2.88* 0.96 ns
VC (%) 17.83 6.48 15.93 25.70 36.43
a
Means flowed by the same letters in the columns are not different by the Tukey test (Pp0.05).
b
**, significant at Po0.01.
c
ns, not significant.
d
D100, D150, D200 ¼ 100, 150 and 200 mg kg1 of N as WTS, respectively.
e
*, significant at Po0.05.

Table 6 The selection of the cover plant to be used for the soil
Zinc in a graded soil treated with WTS and cultivated with grasses and rehabilitation is important, as shown by the data in this
legumes 189 days after the plant cultivation started
study, and consideration should be given to plants with the
Plants D100 (Zn, D150 (Zn, D200 (Zn, abilities to grow in soils with relatively high concentrations
mg kg1 soil) mg kg1 soil) mg kg1 soil) of Fe and Al.
Further work is needed in order to determine the best
S. aterrinum 2.2 Aaa 2.8 Aa 2.6 Ba
procedures for applications of WTS for the rehabilitation
P. maximum cv. 2.5 Aa 3.1 Aa 2.3 Ba
tanzania of degraded soils.
S. multijuga 2.3 Aa 3.0 Aa 2.2 Ba
C. ensiformis 3.5 Aa 2.5 Aa 2.4 Ba Acknowledgement
B. decumbens 2.7 Ab 3.5 Aab 4.2 Aa
a
Means followed by the same capital letters in the columns and small The authors thank FAPESP for financial support.
letters in the lines are not different by the Tukey test (Po0.05).
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