Barley growth in response to potassium fertilization of soil with long term application of sewage sludge

Application of sludges to agricultural land depressed plant growth despite its beneficial effects on crop production. Hence it remained to be determined whether sludge application induced any adverse effect on crop nutrition or growth, Thus the growth response of barley on an Andosol to which two kinds of sewage sludge compost had been applied for 17 y was tested in pot experiments with and without application of chemical K fertilizer. The addition of K in the sewage sludge composts resulted in the improvement of plant growth, high dry matter production and increase of total K content both in plant and soil compared to the materials without K application. It was assumed that long term application of sewage sludge requires chemical fertilizer amendment for crop production.