The sugar refinery process used by Lantic Sugar Ltd generates three by-products having characteristics that give them potential as soil amendments or fertilizers, particularly as a phosphorous and calcium source. Laboratory and a field trials were conducted in order to examine the changes in agronomic properties of soil produced by the application of these residues. / During the laboratory experiment, the by-products examined were spend bone char (SBC), filter-press mud (FPM), clarification scum (SCU) and a compost (COM) produced using FPM and SCU, where as in a field experiment, COM, SBC and a mixture (MIX) made of FPM and SCU, were compared to a commercial fertilizer (TSP) and non-treated soils. / The orthic humic gleysol of clay texture and low pH soil conditions in which the field experiment was conducted resulted in high P fixation of all the applied residues. Contrasts analysis showed that TSP behaved as the soils unamended P for all nutrient concentrations in tissues over two cropping seasons (1993 and 1994), on two crops, namely wheat (Triticum aestivum, L.) and corn (Zea mays, L.). Treatments (residues at different rates of application) did not significantly increase the Ca levels in COM plots nor did they increase the wet aggregate stability of soil under either crop. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Fertilizer P fixation and fertilizer N losses in soils may be reduced through additions of polyphenolic compounds. The influence of ammonium lignosulfonate (NH$ sb4 sp+$-LS) on triple superphosphate (TSP) efficiency was investigated in a soil incubation study using three Quebec soils and in a growth bench study using one soil. For the incubation study, soils were analyzed for pH and P extractability, as a function of NH$ sb4 sp+$-LS rate and time. In the growth bench study, TSP and NH$ sb4 sp+$-LS were applied at varying rates and corn (Zea mays L.) dry matter yields and nutrient compositions analyzed. Similar studies were conducted in subsequent growth bench studies, to evaluate combinations of NH$ sb4 sp+$-LS, diammonium phosphate (DAP), and urea on two soils. / Ammonium LS increased soluble P levels when applied with TSP. The effect was most significant in fine textured soils, and increased with time. This improved P availability to plants, without affecting growth. The optimum NH$ sb4 sp+$-LS:P$ sb2$O$ sb5$ application ratio was approximately 2.8:1. Ammonium LS did not improve availability of DAP-P in either of the subsequent experiments, nor did it improve urea fertilizer efficiency. Some NH$ sb4 sp+$-LS-urea-DAP formulations did, however, improve corn growth beyond that obtained when only urea and DAP were applied in combination. In nutrient amended soils, applying NH$ sb4 sp+$-LS DAP was detrimental to growth and, for some application rates, reduced nutrient uptake.

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