Evaluation of soil properties, irrigation and solid waste application levels on Cu and Zn uptake by industrial hemp

E.E. Golia¹*, A. Angelaki¹, K.D. Giannoulis¹, E. Skoufogianni¹, D. Bartzialis¹, Ch. Cavalaris¹ and S. Vleioras²

¹University of Thessaly, School of Agriculture Crop Production and Agricultural Environment, Fytokou Street, N. Ionia, GR38 446 Magnesia, Greece
²Regional Centre of Quality Control and Plant Protection of Magnesia, Laboratory of Quality Control, Torousia & Nikolaidi, Pedion Areos, GR38334, Volos, Greece
*Correspondence: egol@uth.gr

Abstract:

Α three-year experiment was performed to study the alteration of copper and zinc levels in industrial hemp grown in different soils using elevated sewage slurry solid waste applications. Two soil samples, an acidic and an alkaline one, with different soil properties, such as percentage of CaCO₃ and cation exchange capacity values, were used. Three treatments of waste solid with provided elevated concentrations of Cu and Zn were combined with two irrigation levels. The application of high doses of the solid residue as well as high irrigation level lead to an increase of the mobility of metals in hemp leaves in acidic soil in contrast to alkaline. On the contrary, in alkaline soil along with a reduced irrigation level, there is a decrease in the mobility of Cu and therefore its accumulation in the roots or stems was observed. Concluding, hemp seem to be a promising plant remediator, after the application of the proper irrigation level and taking into account the physico-chemical soil properties of moderately contaminated (with copper and zinc) soils.

Key words:

Investigations about the impact of norms of the fertilisers and cultivars upon the crop capacity biomass of industrial hemp

A. Adamovics, S. Ivanovs* and V. Stramkale

Latvia University of Agriculture, Liela iela 2, LV 3001 Jelgava, Latvia
*Correspondence: semjons@apollo.lv

Abstract:

Field trials were carried out in 2012–2014, on the Research and Study Farm ‘Pēterlauki’ of the Latvia University of Agriculture. Eleven sorts of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) – ‘Bialobrzeskie’, ‘Futura 75’, ‘Fedora 17’, ‘Santhica 27’, ‘Beniko’, ‘Ferimon’, ‘Felina 32’, ‘Epsilon 68’, ‘Tygra’, ‘Wojko’ and ‘Uso 31’ were sown in a sod calcareous soil (pHKCl 6.7, P 52 mg kg^-1, K 128 mg kg^-1, the organic matter content 21–25 g kg^-1). The total seeding rate was 50 kg ha^-1. The plots were fertilised as follows: N-120, P₂O₅– 90, K₂O- 150 kg ha^-1. Hemp was sown in the middle of May, in 10 m² plots, triplicate. Hemp was harvested when the first matured seeds appeared. The biometrical indices, the height and stem diameter, the harvesting time, the amount of fresh and dry biomass and the fibre content were evaluated.
Yield of dry matter on average comprised 15.06 t ha^-1, depending on the cultivars. Cultivation year and cultivar notably affected hemp biomass yield. In 2012, the highest yield of dry biomass was produced from cultivars ‘Futura 75’ (21.33 t ha^-1) and ‘Tygra’ (20.87 t ha^-1), the lowest – from ‘Bialobrzeskie’ (11.95 t ha^-1). Significantly higher average yield of dry biomass was obtained from cultivars ‘Futura 75’ (17.76 t ha^-1), ‘Tygra’ (16.31 t ha^-1), ‘Wojko’ (15.51 t ha^-1) and ‘Epsilon 68’ (15.28 t ha^-1), the lowest – ‘Bialobrzeskie’ and ‘Uso 31’ (13.53 t ha^-1). Meteorological conditions influenced the dry biomass yield.
The aim of this study was find productive cultivar of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) and clarify nitrogen fertiliser rates impact for biomass production in Latvia.

Key words:

biomass, Cannabis sativa, cultivars, fertilizers