IMPROVING THE AGRICULTURAL VALUE OF A SEMIARID SOIL BY ADDITION OF SEWAGE-SLUDGE AND ALMOND RESIDUE

The agricultural quality of a calcareous soil amended with organic was tes was assessed during a cultivation season, Extraction techniques we re used to determine the availability of a range of plant nutrients, S oil was fertilised with two organic residues, sewage sludge and epicar p-mesocarp of almonds. These wastes clearly affected soil composition, Sewage sludge influenced the soil content of N, P, Fe, Cu and Zn. Alm ond residue mainly modified extractable K. Both residues changed the s oil salinity (measured as electrical conductivity), and soil organic m atter. Yield was also determined in the tomato plants cultivated. Sewa ge sludge improved yield; no difference was observed between the other fertiliser treatments.