ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effect of Organic Additives on Vegetation
of Plants Grown in Landfill Soil after
Ozokerite Processing
Jan Gąsior1, Stanisław Właśniewski1, Inesa Drozd2,
Halyna Kreczkiwska2, Małgorzata Nazarkiewicz1
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1Department of Soil Science, Environmental Chemistry and Hydrology, University of Rzeszów,
Zelwerowicza 8b, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland
2Department of Biology and Chemistry, Pedagogical State University in Drohobych,
Szewczenka 23, 82-100 Drohobych, Ukraine
Submission date: 2016-01-20
Final revision date: 2016-06-03
Acceptance date: 2016-06-11
Publication date: 2016-11-24
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2016;25(6):2373-2385
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ABSTRACT
Our research was carried out on landfill soil after mining and processing the unique mineral ozokerite
(earthwax) in Borysław, Ukraine, where natural sodding has not appeared for many years. The strict
micro-plot experiment in the split-plot design was set using four organic additives (manure OB, substrate
after champignon cultivation PP, municipal sewage sludge OK, and sawdust T), each in the amount of
4, 8, and 12% as compared to the control, as well as the third factor of test plants (white lupine, Italian
ryegrass, cocksfoot, and pink clover). Our paper presents the course of plant vegetation and weight of fresh
aboveground parts in the year of organic components application for the preliminary experiment and during
the consequent experiment. The use of manure on the landfill ground accelerated vegetation of seedlings
[phase 12] in relation to the control by seven days and substrate after champignon cultivation and municipal
sludge by three days (in proportion to the introduced dose). Furthermore, the additives increased plant
density. The use of sawdust did not affect the plant growth rate in this phase, and even caused a slight setback
in the number of plants per plot. Plants from the preliminary experiment showed higher growth dynamics
and a longer growing season under the influence of the components used: OB>PP>OK. The consequent
effect of the applied components (OB, PP, and OK) on plant vegetation was weaker. The use of sawdust
resulted in the forfeiture of all plant species during winter. In the consequent experiment, the yield of green
mass of the aboveground parts of plants depended on the type and dose of organic additives, and it was a
good indicator of the phyto-remediation features of used species. The largest weight of the aboveground
parts of plants (1,233 and 1,168 g/m2, from cocksfoot and pink clover, respectively) was achieved on the
landfill soil with 12% manure addition.