Research articleResponses of Szarvasi-1 energy grass to sewage sludge treatments in hydroponics

•Sewage sludge is an effective fertilizer for Szarvasi-1 energy grass.•Heavy metals (Cu, Cd) in the sewage sludge may cause toxic effect and yield decline only at high doses of the sludge.•Na and Ni increases in the shoot in parallel with the increasing sludge doses.•Ca, Cu, Mg, Mn and Zn decreases in the shoot in parallel with the increasing sludge doses.•Organic matter content in the sewage sludge may be the component of the yield enhancing effect.

Sewage sludge (SS) originating from communal wastewater is a hazardous material but have a potentially great nutritive value. Its disposal after treatment in agricultural lands can be a very economical and safe way of utilization once fast growing, high biomass, perennial plants of renewable energy production are cultivated. Szarvasi-1 energy grass (Elymus elongatus subsp. ponticus cv. Szarvasi-1), a good candidate for this application, was grown in hydroponics in order to assess its metal accumulation and tolerance under increasing SS amendments. The applied SS had a composition characteristic to SS from communal wastes and did not contain any toxic heavy metal contamination from industrial sludge in high concentration. Toxic effects was assessed in quarter strength Hoagland nutrient solution and only the two highest doses (12.5-18.75 g dm−3) caused decreases in root growth, shoot water content and length and stomatal conductance whereas shoot growth, root water content, chlorophyll concentration and the maximal quantum efficiency of photosystem II was unaffected. Shoot K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn and Cu content decreased but Na and Ni increased in the shoot compared to the unamended control. The nutritive effect was tested in 1/40 strength Hoagland solution and only the highest dose (12.5 g dm−3) decreased root growth and stomatal conductance significantly while lower doses (1.25-6.25 g dm−3) had a stimulative effect. Shoot K, Na, Fe and Ni increased and Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn and Cu decreased in this treatment. It was concluded that SS with low heavy metal content can be a potentially good fertilizer for high biomass non-food crops such as Szarvasi-1 energy grass.