Yield, resource use efficiency and trace metal uptake of weeping lovegrass grown on municipal sludge-amended soil.

Background: There are concerns that fertilization using sludge in semi-arid areas, where water is limiting, will compound the effect of drought, resulting in the decline of yield from potential salt accumulation. This study investigated impacts of annual sludge application at 0, 4, 8 and 16 Mg ha on weeping lovegrass hay yield, crude protein (CP) content, rainfall use efficiency (RUE), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and trace metal uptake over eight consecutive years.

Results: Both hay yield and RUE increased by 5-53% as the sludge rate increased.