Effects of Wood Ash on the Chemical Properties of Soil and Crop Vitality in Small Plot Experiments

W ood - burning power plants and heating plants produce a great amount of wood ash as a by - product of the combustion process . In 2009 we launched an experiment in which we examined the composition of ash, the nutri ent suppl ying capacity of soil mixed with ash, and the availability of its constituents . In the spring of 2010 , we conducted small plot experiments using wood ash applications equivalent to 0; 1; 2.5; 5 and 10 t of wood ash/ha , on s lightly acidic clay loam soil using white mustard and rye grass as the test plants . T he pH value of the soil rose in a statistically verifiable way as a result of the ash treatments . After the application of ash , the P 2 O 5 and K 2 O - content of the soil rose significantly ; t he treatments also i ncreased the magnesium and sulphur content of the arable soil as well as the level of Zinc among the microelements. However, n one of the wood ash applications caused verifiable changes in the number of shoots, in the green mass , or in the height of test plants. The increased nutrient supply of the soil through the treatments was not reflected i n the nutrient content of the plants during the first year.