title: Response of Leptospermum scoparium, Kunzea robusta and Pinus radiata to contrasting biowastes.
abstract: The myrtaceae family has a cosmopolitan distribution and includes the Australasian native species Leptospermum scoparium (mānuka) and Kunzea robusta (kānuka), 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-1equiv.) increased the total dry biomass of mānuka, kānuka, and pine by 117, 90, and 86% respectively. Mixing sawdust with biosolids stimulated growth of mānuka (52%), kānuka (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).
authors.affiliation: Lincoln University, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Soil and Physical Sciences, P O Box 84, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand. Electronic address: esperschuetz@gmx.com.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Esperschuetz
authors.affiliation: The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Canterbury Agriculture and Science Centre, Gerald St, Lincoln 7608, New Zealand.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Canterbury Agriculture and Science Centre, Gerald St, Lincoln 7608, New Zealand.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bulman
authors.affiliation: Lincoln University, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Soil and Physical Sciences, P O Box 84, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Katamian
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited, Kenepuru Science Centre, PO Box 50-348, Porirua 5240, New Zealand.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horswell
authors.affiliation: Lincoln University, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Ecology, P O Box 84, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.affiliation: Lincoln University, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Soil and Physical Sciences, P O Box 84, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand.
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D005308:Fertilizers / Q000032:analysis; D031648:Kunzea / Q000502:physiology*; D031649:Leptospermum / Q000502:physiology*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D028223:Pinus / Q000502:physiology*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D009566:Nitrates; D012987:Soil; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Biosolids; Degraded soil; Kānuka; Mānuka; Pine; Sawdust