Monday, November 13, 2006
127-10

Elemental Uptake by Sorghum Sudan Grass from a Flue Gas Desulphurization Waste Amended Soil.

Ariyon C. Bryant, Southern Univ, 2329 St. Thomas Street, New Orleans, LA 70130, Kenneth Sajwan, Dept of Natural Science & Mathematics, Savannah State Univ, PO Box 20600, Savannah, GA 31404, A. Jenkins, Alcon State Univ, 4923 Birch street, Meridian, MS 39307, Paramasivam Sivapatham, Savannah State Univ, 3219 College Street, Savannah, GA 31404, Eric Stidum, Rust College, 166 Tina Drive, Holly Springs, MS 38635, Gamola Fortenberry, Florida A & M Univ, Tallahassee, FL 32307, and Ashok Alva, USDA-ARS, Vegetable and Forage Cro, 24106 N. Bunn Road, Prosser, WA 99350-9687.

A greenhouse study was conducted to assess the effect of flue gas desulphurization (FGDW) waste on elemental uptake by sorghum sudan grass (Sorghum sundensis L.). Unweathered FGDW was applied to an Ogeechee loamy soil (Typic Paleudult) at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6% by weight. The sorghum-sudan grass was grown for six weeks in FGDW amended soils. Harvested plant materials as well as soils were analyzed for various elements. The study indicated that increasing levels of FGDW caused a steady decline in biomass production. In addition, a characteristic elevation of B, Se, Mo, and As in plant tissues was also observed. In this presentation, growth performance, biomass production, elemental uptake and accumulation will be discussed.