Biowastes to augment the essential oil production of Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea robusta in low-fertility soil.

Biowastes are unwanted materials of biological origin. They include biosolids, dairy shed effluent, and sawdust. When applied to soil, biowastes can provide plant nutrients, but also introduce heavy metals, pathogens, or xenobiotics. Biowastes could improve degraded or low-fertility soils and generate revenue through the production of non-food products such as essential oils. We grew New Zealand native plants, manuka (Leptospermum scoparium J.R. Forst & G. Forst) and kanuka (Kunzea robusta de Lange & Toelken) in series of greenhouse experiments in low-to-medium-fertility soils (Bideford clay loam, Lismore stony silt loam, and Pawson silt loam) amended with either biosolids (up to 13500 kg N ha-1 equiv.), biosolids + sawdust (1:0.5-1250 kg N ha-1 equiv.) and dairy shed effluent (200 kg N ha-1 equiv.). Two types of biosolids from Kaikoura (KB) and Christchurch City Council (CB) were used in the experiments. CB (1500 kg N ha-1 equiv.) and dairy shed effluent (200 kg N ha-1 equiv.) increased the biomass of L. scoparium by up to 120% and 31%, and K. robusta by up to 170% and 34%, respectively. Adding sawdust to KB increased the biomass of L. scoparium and K. robusta although it offset the L. scoparium growth increase in the KB-only treatment. The growth response of K. robusta to biowastes was greater than L. scoparium with oil production in K. robusta increasing by up to 211% when 1500 kg N ha-1 equiv. of CB was applied to Lismore stony silt loam. Generally, the treatments had a negligible effect on oil concentration in all the soil types, except for the KB + sawdust treatment, which increased the oil concentration by 82%. Most of the EOs' major components were unaffected by biowaste addition in the soils, although some components increased in the Bideford clay loam following KB and KB + sawdust application. Biosolids increased foliar concentrations of Zn, Cu, and Cd, but these were below risk-threshold concentrations. Applying CB (up to 1500 kg N ha-1 equiv.) to low-fertility soils is recommended to establish ecosystems dominated by L. scoparium and K. robusta that annually would produce ca. 100 kg ha-1 of EOs worth US$ 26k and 24k, respectively. Adding sawdust to CB could have environmental benefits through reduction of N leaching. Field trials are warranted to elucidate critical ecological variables and production economics in biowaste management.

The potential of L. scoparium, K. robusta and P. radiata to mitigate N-losses in silvopastural systems.

Silvopastoral systems aim to enhance economic, cultural and social principles by sustainably combining forest management with agriculture. In these typically high-nitrogen (N) environments, plant species selection can profoundly influence N fluxes. For grazed pastures, plants may be exposed to urine patches that have received the equivalent of up to 1000 kg N ha-1. We aimed to determine the growth and N fluxes in three potential trees that may be used in silvopastoral systems: L. scoparium, K. robusta and P. radiata. Plants were grown in a greenhouse lysimeter experiment, with controlled irrigation and temperature and exposed to N at rates of 200 kg ha-1 equiv. for 15 weeks, followed by the addition of 800 kg ha-1 N equiv, to simulate a urine patch. Urea produced a positive growth response of all plant species. Treatments containing L. scoparium and K. robusta leached lower amounts of nitrate (NO3-) (2 kg ha-1 NO3-) compared to P. radiata (53 kg ha-1). Measurements of N2O over 20 days after the application of 800 kg N ha-1 indicated an inhibitory effect of L. scoparium and K. robusta on denitrification, hence loss of N via N2O. Both L. scoparium and K. robusta demonstrated that they have potential to reduce N-losses in silvopastural systems, while producing valuable biomass.

Response of Leptospermum scoparium, Kunzea robusta and Pinus radiata to contrasting biowastes.

The myrtaceae family has a cosmopolitan distribution and includes the Australasian native species Leptospermum scoparium (manuka) and Kunzea robusta (kanuka), which are of economic interest for the production of high-value honey and essential oils. Potentially, these species could be established on low-fertility or degraded soils that have been amended with biowastes, including biosolids and sawdust. We aimed to determine the effect of these biowastes on nitrate leaching and the growth and chemical composition of these plant species compared to Pinus radiata (pine), a common forestry species. The addition of biosolids (1250kgNha-1 equiv.) increased the total dry biomass of manuka, kanuka, and pine by 117, 90, and 86% respectively. Mixing sawdust with biosolids stimulated growth of manuka (52%), kanuka (121%) but not pine. Biosolids increased plant uptake of N, P, and trace elements, but not to levels of concern. Nitrate leaching from all treatments was negligible (<2kgha-1).

Production of Biomass Crops Using Biowastes on Low-Fertility Soil: 1. Influence of Biowastes on Plant and Soil Quality.

Land application of biosolids to low-fertility soil can improve soil quality by increasing concentrations of macronutrients and trace elements. Mixing biosolids with sawdust could reduce the risks of contaminant accumulation posed by rebuilding soils using biosolids alone. We aimed to determine the effects of biosolids and biosolids-sawdust on the plant quality and chemical composition of sorghum, rapeseed, and ryegrass. Plants were grown in a greenhouse over a 5-mo period in a low-fertility soil amended with biosolids (1250 kg N ha), biosolids-sawdust (0.5:1), or urea (200 kg N ha). Biosolids application increased the biomass of sorghum, rapeseed, and ryegrass up to 14.0, 11.9, and 4.1 t ha eq, respectively. Mixing sawdust with biosolids resulted in a growth response similar to biosolids treatments in rapeseed but nullified the effect of biosolids in sorghum. Urea fertilization provided insufficient nutrients to promote rapeseed growth and seed production, whereas seed yields after biosolids application were 2.5 t ha. Biosolids and biosolids-sawdust application enhanced plant quality by increasing element concentrations, especially Zn, and potentially toxic elements (Cd, Cr, Ni) did not exceed food safety standards. An application of 50 t ha of biosolids, equivalent to 1250 kg N ha, did not exceed current soil limits of Cu, Zn, and Cd and hence was effective in rebuilding soil without accumulating contaminants. The effect of mixing sawdust with biosolids varies with plant species but can further enhance plant nutrient quality in biomass and seeds, especially P, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, S, and Na.

Production of Biomass Crops Using Biowastes on Low-Fertility Soil: 2. Effect of Biowastes on Nitrogen Transformation Processes.

Increasing production of biowastes, particularly biosolids (sewage sludge), requires sustainable management strategies for their disposal. Biosolids can contain high concentrations of nutrients; hence, land application can have positive effects on plant growth and soil fertility, especially when applied to degraded soils. However, high rates of biosolids application may result in excessive nitrogen (N) leaching, which can be mitigated by blending biosolids with other biowastes, such as sawdust. We aimed to determine the effects of biosolids and sawdust on growth and N uptake by sorghum, rapeseed, and ryegrass as well as N losses via leaching. Plants were grown in a greenhouse over a 5-mo period in a low-fertility soil amended with biosolids (1250 kg N ha), biosolids-sawdust (0.5:1), or urea (200 kg N ha). Urea application increased biomass production of sorghum and ryegrass but proved insufficient for rapeseed on low-fertility soil. Biosolids application increased plant N concentrations in ryegrass and rapeseed and increased N uptake into the seeds of sorghum, increasing seed quality. Biosolids application did result in lower N leaching compared with urea, irrespective of plant species, and N leaching was unaffected by mixing the biosolids with sawdust. There was an indication of biological nitrification inhibition in the rhizosphere of sorghum. Rapeseed had similar growth and N uptake into biomass in biosolids and biosolids-sawdust treatments and hence was the most promising species with regard to recycling fresh sawdust in combination with high rates of biosolids on low-fertility soil.