Research Article
Effect of Sewage Sludge Treatment and Rhizobium Inoculation on Growth, Nodulation Yield Attributes in Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) under Field Conditions
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of sewage sludge treatment and Rhizobium inoculation on the growth, yield, and nodulation of lentil (Lens culinaris Medic.) under field conditions. The experiment was conducted at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University over two growing seasons using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Four doses of sewage sludge (0, 10, 20, and 40 t ha-¹) were applied with and without Rhizobium inoculation. The results revealed significant seasonal variations, with biological yield decreasing from 8306 kg ha-¹ in 2003-04 to 3262 kg ha-¹ in 2004-05, and grain yield declining from 2716 kg ha-¹ to 633 kg ha⁻¹. The application of 20 t ha-¹ sewage sludge resulted in the highest biological yield (6724 kg ha-¹) and grain yield (1854 kg ha-¹), while higher doses (40 t ha-¹) negatively impacted seed yield. The number of plants per square meter significantly varied between years, and reduced from 183 in 2003-04 to 74 in 2004-05, thereby altering growth and yield attributes. Sewage sludge increased plant density, reaching 153 at 40 t ha-¹, while Rhizobium inoculation slightly reduced it. In contrast to grain and biological yields, the number of seeds per plant and seed yield per plant decreased with increasing sewage sludge doses. Overall, the study suggests that 20 ton ha-¹ sewage sludge application optimizes lentil productivity in semi-arid conditions, but higher doses may lead to reduced yield.
References
- Achkir, A., Aouragh, A., El Mahi, M., Labjar, N., Bouch, M.E., Ouahidi, M.L., Badza, T., Farhane, H., Moussaoui, T.E., 2023. Implication of sewage sludge increased application rates on soil fertility and heavy metals contamination risk. Emerging Contaminants, 9(1): 100200.
- Açıkbaş, S., Özyazıcı, G., Özyazıcı, M.A., Turan, N., 2017. Current status of organic forage crop production in Turkey. International Conference on Multidisciplinary, Engineering, Science, Education and Technology, Abstract Book, July, Bakü, pp. 12-14.
- Angle, J.S., McGrath, S., Chaudri, A., Chaney, R., Giller, K., 1993. Inoculation effects on legumes grown in soil previously treated with sewage sludge. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 25(5): 575-580.
- Anonymous, 1991. Breeding Informations of Sazak-91 Cultivar. (https://arastirma.tarimorman.gov.tr/gkta em/Belgeler/Tescilli%20%C3%87e%C5%9Fitlerimiz/Mercimek/sazak-91.pdf), (Accessed Date: 25.02.2025).
- Anonymous, 2005. Soil Pollution Control Regulation. Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Türkiye, (https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2005/05/20050531-6.htm), (Accessed Date: 22.04.2025). (In Turkish).
- Ashokkumar, V., Flora, G., Venkatkarthick, R., Senthil-Kannan, K., Kuppam, C., Stephy, G.M., Kamyab, H., Chen, W.H., Thomas, J., Ngamcharussrivichai, C., 2022. Advanced technologies on the sustainable approaches for conversion of organic waste to valuable bioproducts: Emerging circular bioeconomy perspective. Fuel, 324: 124313.
- Barbieri, P., Starck, T., Voisin, A.S., Nesme, T., 2023. Biological nitrogen fixation of legumes crops under organic farming as driven by cropping management: A review. Agricultural Systems, 205: 103579.
- Bhuiyan, A.H., Khanam, D., Ali, M., Alam, F., Rahman, M.A., 2011. Field performance of rhizobial inoculants on lentil. Bangladesh Journal of Microbiology, 27(1): 18-21.
- Börjesson, G., Kätterer, T., 2018. Soil fertility effects of repeated application of sewage sludge in two 30-year-old field experiments. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 112(3): 369-385.
- Ceritoglu, M., Çığ, F., Erman, M., Ceritoglu, F., 2025. Integrating multi-trait selection ındices for climate-resilient lentils: A three-year evaluation of earliness and yield stability under semi-arid conditions. Agronomy, 15(7): 1554.
- Ceritoğlu, M., Şahin, S., Erman, M., 2018. Effects of vermicompost on plant growth and soil structure. Selcuk Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 32(3): 607-615.
- Ceritoğlu, M., Erman, M., 2020. Effect of vermicompost application at different sowing dates on some phenological, agronomic and yield traits in lentil. Journal of International Environmental Application and Science, 15(3): 158-166.
- Ceritoglu, M., Erman, M., Çığ, F., 2024. Seed priming boosts plant growth, yield attributes, seed chemical and antioxidant composition in lentil under low-phosphorus field conditions. International Journal of Plant Production, 18: 513-530.
- Chen, M., Zhang, S., Liu, L., Wu, L., Ding, X., 2021. Combined organic amendments and mineral fertilizer application increase rice yield by improving soil structure, P availability and root growth in saline-alkaline soil. Soil and Tillage Research, 212: 105060.
- Çığ, F., Erman, M., Sönmez, F., 2019. Determining the effects of sewage sludge and Rhizobium inoculation on nutrient and heavy metal content of lentil (Lens culinaris Medic.). Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 17(2): 2701-2717.
- Erman, M., 1998. Effects of nitrogen fertilizer doses and rhizobium inoculation on yield and yield related characters of some winter lentil varieties under Van ecological conditions. PhD Thesis, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Institute of Sciences, Van, Türkiye. (In Turkish).
- Erman, M., Çığ, F., Sönmez, F., Ceritoglu, M., 2024. Sheep manure and sewage sludge boost biofortification of barley and restricts heavy metal accumulation in plant tissues. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 47(9): 1494-1512.
- Erman, M., Demir, S., Ocak, E., Tüfenkçi, Ş., Oğuz, F., Akköprü, A., 2011. Effects of Rhizobium, arbuscular mycorrhiza and whey applications on some properties in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under irrigated and rainfed conditions 1-Yield, yield components, nodulation and AMF colonization. Field Crops Research, 122(1): 14-24.
- Gan, Y., Hanson, K., Zentner, R., Selles, F., McDonald, C., 2005. Response of lentil to microbial inoculation and low rates of fertilization in the semiarid Canadian prairies. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 85(4): 847-855.
- Ghaffari Neamat Abad, G., Saba, J., 2024. Evaluation of the traits impact model on the lentil seed yield to determine selection methods. Journal of Crop Breeding, 16(3): 79-90.
- Hasan, M., Naushin, F., Shaher, H., Bagyaraj, D.J., 2023. Influence of sewage sludge, Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on nutrient uptake, growth, photosynthetic and biochemical attributes in Cicer arietinum L. Brazilian Journal of Botany, 46(4): 1161-1176.
- Hibbing, M.E., Fuqua, C., Parsek, M.R., Peterson, S.B., 2010. Bacterial competition: surviving and thriving in the microbial jungle. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 8(1): 15-25.
- Kumar, V., Eid, E.M., Al-Bakre, D.A., Abdallah, S.M., Širić, I., Andabaka, Ž., Kumar, P., Goala, M., Adelodun, B., Singh, J., Kumari, S., Bachheti, A., Arya, A.K., Choi, K.S., 2022. Combined use of sewage sludge and plant growth-promoting rhizobia ımproves germination, biochemical response and yield of ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.) under field conditions. Agriculture, 12(2): 173.
- Mahanta, M., Konjengbam, N.S., 2024. Screening lentil (Lens culinaris) RIL population for high yield and aluminium toxicity tolerance under acidic field and hydroponic conditions. The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 94(6): 589-594.
- Nunes, N., Ragonezi, C., Gouveia, C.S., Pinheiro de Carvalho, M.Â., 2021. Review of sewage sludge as a soil amendment in relation to current international guidelines: A heavy metal perspective. Sustainability, 13(4): 2317.
- Özyazıcı, M.A., Özyazıcı, G., 2012. Effects of sewage sludge on some basic productivity parameters of soil. Anadolu Journal of Agricultural Science, 27(2): 101-109. (In Turkish).
- Paliya, S., Mandpe, A., Kumar, S., Kumar, M., 2019. Enhanced nodulation and higher germination using sludge ash as a carrier for biofertilizer production. Journal of Environmental Management, 250: 109523.
- Rebah, F.B., Prévost, D., Tyagi, R., 2002. Growth of alfalfa in sludge-amended soils and inoculated with rhizobia produced in sludge. Journal of Environmental Quality, 31(4): 1339-1348.
- Sekhon, H., Kaul, J., Dahiya, B., 1978. Response of lentil to Rhizobium inoculation and N fertilizer. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 90(2): 325-327.
- Sharma, B., Vaish, B., Monika, Singh, U.K., Singh, P., Singh, R.P., 2019. Recycling of organic wastes in agriculture: An environmental perspective. International Journal of Environmental Research, 13: 409-429.
- Somesagaran, P., Hoben, H.J., 1994. Handbook for Rhizobia: Methods in legume Rhizobium technology. Springer-Verlag, New York.
- Tena, W., Wolde-meskel, E., Walley, F., 2016. Symbiotic efficiency of native and exotic Rhizobium strains nodulating lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) in soils of Southern Ethiopia. Agronomy, 6(1): 11.
- Vadez, V., Berger, J.D., Warkentin, T., Asseng, S., Ratnakumar, P., Rao, K.P.C., Gaur, P.M., Munier-Jolain, N., Larmure, A., Voisin, A-S., Sharma, H.C., Pande, S., Sharma, M., Krishnamurthy, L., Zaman, M.A., 2012. Adaptation of grain legumes to climate change: A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 32: 31-44.
- Yang, J., Li, L., Li, R., Xu, L., Shen, Y., Li, S., Tu, C., Wu, L., Christie, P., Luo, Y., 2021. Microplastics in an agricultural soil following repeated application of three types of sewage sludge: A field study. Environmental Pollution, 289: 117943.
Effect of Sewage Sludge Treatment and Rhizobium Inoculation on Growth, Nodulation Yield Attributes in Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) under Field Conditions
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of sewage sludge treatment and Rhizobium inoculation on the growth, yield, and nodulation of lentil (Lens culinaris Medic.) under field conditions. The experiment was conducted at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University over two growing seasons using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Four doses of sewage sludge (0, 10, 20, and 40 t ha-¹) were applied with and without Rhizobium inoculation. The results revealed significant seasonal variations, with biological yield decreasing from 8306 kg ha-¹ in 2003-04 to 3262 kg ha-¹ in 2004-05, and grain yield declining from 2716 kg ha-¹ to 633 kg ha⁻¹. The application of 20 t ha-¹ sewage sludge resulted in the highest biological yield (6724 kg ha-¹) and grain yield (1854 kg ha-¹), while higher doses (40 t ha-¹) negatively impacted seed yield. The number of plants per square meter significantly varied between years, and reduced from 183 in 2003-04 to 74 in 2004-05, thereby altering growth and yield attributes. Sewage sludge increased plant density, reaching 153 at 40 t ha-¹, while Rhizobium inoculation slightly reduced it. In contrast to grain and biological yields, the number of seeds per plant and seed yield per plant decreased with increasing sewage sludge doses. Overall, the study suggests that 20 ton ha-¹ sewage sludge application optimizes lentil productivity in semi-arid conditions, but higher doses may lead to reduced yield.
References
- Achkir, A., Aouragh, A., El Mahi, M., Labjar, N., Bouch, M.E., Ouahidi, M.L., Badza, T., Farhane, H., Moussaoui, T.E., 2023. Implication of sewage sludge increased application rates on soil fertility and heavy metals contamination risk. Emerging Contaminants, 9(1): 100200.
- Açıkbaş, S., Özyazıcı, G., Özyazıcı, M.A., Turan, N., 2017. Current status of organic forage crop production in Turkey. International Conference on Multidisciplinary, Engineering, Science, Education and Technology, Abstract Book, July, Bakü, pp. 12-14.
- Angle, J.S., McGrath, S., Chaudri, A., Chaney, R., Giller, K., 1993. Inoculation effects on legumes grown in soil previously treated with sewage sludge. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 25(5): 575-580.
- Anonymous, 1991. Breeding Informations of Sazak-91 Cultivar. (https://arastirma.tarimorman.gov.tr/gkta em/Belgeler/Tescilli%20%C3%87e%C5%9Fitlerimiz/Mercimek/sazak-91.pdf), (Accessed Date: 25.02.2025).
- Anonymous, 2005. Soil Pollution Control Regulation. Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Türkiye, (https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2005/05/20050531-6.htm), (Accessed Date: 22.04.2025). (In Turkish).
- Ashokkumar, V., Flora, G., Venkatkarthick, R., Senthil-Kannan, K., Kuppam, C., Stephy, G.M., Kamyab, H., Chen, W.H., Thomas, J., Ngamcharussrivichai, C., 2022. Advanced technologies on the sustainable approaches for conversion of organic waste to valuable bioproducts: Emerging circular bioeconomy perspective. Fuel, 324: 124313.
- Barbieri, P., Starck, T., Voisin, A.S., Nesme, T., 2023. Biological nitrogen fixation of legumes crops under organic farming as driven by cropping management: A review. Agricultural Systems, 205: 103579.
- Bhuiyan, A.H., Khanam, D., Ali, M., Alam, F., Rahman, M.A., 2011. Field performance of rhizobial inoculants on lentil. Bangladesh Journal of Microbiology, 27(1): 18-21.
- Börjesson, G., Kätterer, T., 2018. Soil fertility effects of repeated application of sewage sludge in two 30-year-old field experiments. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 112(3): 369-385.
- Ceritoglu, M., Çığ, F., Erman, M., Ceritoglu, F., 2025. Integrating multi-trait selection ındices for climate-resilient lentils: A three-year evaluation of earliness and yield stability under semi-arid conditions. Agronomy, 15(7): 1554.
- Ceritoğlu, M., Şahin, S., Erman, M., 2018. Effects of vermicompost on plant growth and soil structure. Selcuk Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 32(3): 607-615.
- Ceritoğlu, M., Erman, M., 2020. Effect of vermicompost application at different sowing dates on some phenological, agronomic and yield traits in lentil. Journal of International Environmental Application and Science, 15(3): 158-166.
- Ceritoglu, M., Erman, M., Çığ, F., 2024. Seed priming boosts plant growth, yield attributes, seed chemical and antioxidant composition in lentil under low-phosphorus field conditions. International Journal of Plant Production, 18: 513-530.
- Chen, M., Zhang, S., Liu, L., Wu, L., Ding, X., 2021. Combined organic amendments and mineral fertilizer application increase rice yield by improving soil structure, P availability and root growth in saline-alkaline soil. Soil and Tillage Research, 212: 105060.
- Çığ, F., Erman, M., Sönmez, F., 2019. Determining the effects of sewage sludge and Rhizobium inoculation on nutrient and heavy metal content of lentil (Lens culinaris Medic.). Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 17(2): 2701-2717.
- Erman, M., 1998. Effects of nitrogen fertilizer doses and rhizobium inoculation on yield and yield related characters of some winter lentil varieties under Van ecological conditions. PhD Thesis, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Institute of Sciences, Van, Türkiye. (In Turkish).
- Erman, M., Çığ, F., Sönmez, F., Ceritoglu, M., 2024. Sheep manure and sewage sludge boost biofortification of barley and restricts heavy metal accumulation in plant tissues. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 47(9): 1494-1512.
- Erman, M., Demir, S., Ocak, E., Tüfenkçi, Ş., Oğuz, F., Akköprü, A., 2011. Effects of Rhizobium, arbuscular mycorrhiza and whey applications on some properties in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under irrigated and rainfed conditions 1-Yield, yield components, nodulation and AMF colonization. Field Crops Research, 122(1): 14-24.
- Gan, Y., Hanson, K., Zentner, R., Selles, F., McDonald, C., 2005. Response of lentil to microbial inoculation and low rates of fertilization in the semiarid Canadian prairies. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 85(4): 847-855.
- Ghaffari Neamat Abad, G., Saba, J., 2024. Evaluation of the traits impact model on the lentil seed yield to determine selection methods. Journal of Crop Breeding, 16(3): 79-90.
- Hasan, M., Naushin, F., Shaher, H., Bagyaraj, D.J., 2023. Influence of sewage sludge, Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on nutrient uptake, growth, photosynthetic and biochemical attributes in Cicer arietinum L. Brazilian Journal of Botany, 46(4): 1161-1176.
- Hibbing, M.E., Fuqua, C., Parsek, M.R., Peterson, S.B., 2010. Bacterial competition: surviving and thriving in the microbial jungle. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 8(1): 15-25.
- Kumar, V., Eid, E.M., Al-Bakre, D.A., Abdallah, S.M., Širić, I., Andabaka, Ž., Kumar, P., Goala, M., Adelodun, B., Singh, J., Kumari, S., Bachheti, A., Arya, A.K., Choi, K.S., 2022. Combined use of sewage sludge and plant growth-promoting rhizobia ımproves germination, biochemical response and yield of ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.) under field conditions. Agriculture, 12(2): 173.
- Mahanta, M., Konjengbam, N.S., 2024. Screening lentil (Lens culinaris) RIL population for high yield and aluminium toxicity tolerance under acidic field and hydroponic conditions. The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 94(6): 589-594.
- Nunes, N., Ragonezi, C., Gouveia, C.S., Pinheiro de Carvalho, M.Â., 2021. Review of sewage sludge as a soil amendment in relation to current international guidelines: A heavy metal perspective. Sustainability, 13(4): 2317.
- Özyazıcı, M.A., Özyazıcı, G., 2012. Effects of sewage sludge on some basic productivity parameters of soil. Anadolu Journal of Agricultural Science, 27(2): 101-109. (In Turkish).
- Paliya, S., Mandpe, A., Kumar, S., Kumar, M., 2019. Enhanced nodulation and higher germination using sludge ash as a carrier for biofertilizer production. Journal of Environmental Management, 250: 109523.
- Rebah, F.B., Prévost, D., Tyagi, R., 2002. Growth of alfalfa in sludge-amended soils and inoculated with rhizobia produced in sludge. Journal of Environmental Quality, 31(4): 1339-1348.
- Sekhon, H., Kaul, J., Dahiya, B., 1978. Response of lentil to Rhizobium inoculation and N fertilizer. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 90(2): 325-327.
- Sharma, B., Vaish, B., Monika, Singh, U.K., Singh, P., Singh, R.P., 2019. Recycling of organic wastes in agriculture: An environmental perspective. International Journal of Environmental Research, 13: 409-429.
- Somesagaran, P., Hoben, H.J., 1994. Handbook for Rhizobia: Methods in legume Rhizobium technology. Springer-Verlag, New York.
- Tena, W., Wolde-meskel, E., Walley, F., 2016. Symbiotic efficiency of native and exotic Rhizobium strains nodulating lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) in soils of Southern Ethiopia. Agronomy, 6(1): 11.
- Vadez, V., Berger, J.D., Warkentin, T., Asseng, S., Ratnakumar, P., Rao, K.P.C., Gaur, P.M., Munier-Jolain, N., Larmure, A., Voisin, A-S., Sharma, H.C., Pande, S., Sharma, M., Krishnamurthy, L., Zaman, M.A., 2012. Adaptation of grain legumes to climate change: A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 32: 31-44.
- Yang, J., Li, L., Li, R., Xu, L., Shen, Y., Li, S., Tu, C., Wu, L., Christie, P., Luo, Y., 2021. Microplastics in an agricultural soil following repeated application of three types of sewage sludge: A field study. Environmental Pollution, 289: 117943.
There are 34 citations in total.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Agronomy, Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility |
| Journal Section | Research Article |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | June 30, 2025 |
| Submission Date | March 11, 2025 |
| Acceptance Date | June 29, 2025 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2025 Volume: 12 Issue: 2 |
Cite
TARANILAN DİZİNLER