USE.110-Miniworkshop: Understanding and Meeting Specifications for Blended Byproducts as Soil Substitutes and Bioretention Media-AC20.USCC

Exceptional Quality (EQ) biosolids are valuable sources of organic matter and nutrients for rehabilitation of disturbed urban soils. The remediation of such soils can be hastened by frequent application of EQ biosolids or at rates traditionally employed for the reclamation of mine land soils. While reclamation rates may improve the quality and ability of such soils to support vegetation, the risk of buildup of excessive concentrations of soluble P as a surface water contaminant risk must be addressed. Two clayey urban soils were amended with various formulations and rates of EQ biosolids, including those composted, for the production of turfgrass and garden vegetables. Biosolids were applied to an acid urban soil annually for 4 of 5 years from 2013 to 2018 at rates designed to provide ample plant available N for tall fescue turfgrass. Biosolids were applied to a calcareous urban subsoil annually from 2016 to 2018 at rates designed to provide 1x and 5x the recommended plant available N rate for a variety of fall and spring vegetable crops. Organic C was increased from 1% in the acid turfgrass soil to 3.5% with the composted biosolids, and from 1% in the calcareous vegetable garden soil to 2.5% with the composted biosolids. Soil test P increased to high concentrations with the high biosolids P application rates to each soil; however, the initially very low soil test P concentrations typical of disturbed urban prevented soil P levels from posing significant water impairment risks. Soil compaction was alleviated by the composted biosolids which reduced bulk density from 1.1 g/cm^3 with the synthetic fertilizer to 0.73 g/cm^3 with the composted biosolids in the top two inches of the turfgrass soils and from 1.34 g/cm^3 to 1.16 g/cm^3 in the vegetable garden soil. Co-Author/s: Odiney Alvarez-Campos, Virginia Tech, odineyac@vt.edu // Mike Badzmierowski, Virginia Tech, mikejb7@vt.edu
Speakers: Gregory Evanylo
Duration: 1 hours 29 minutes
Credits: 1.5
Member Price: $90.00
Non-Member Price: $157.50
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