USE OF LIQUID FERTILIZERS BASED ON HUMATES EXTRACTED FROM LIGNITE IN WASTE DUMPS RECULTIVATION

Abstract

Four liquid fertilizers based on humates obtained from lignite were developed and tested. The fertilizers were applied on the waste dump resulted from lignite open cast covered with fertile soil, at maize and alfalfa crops. The application of liquid fertilizers based on humates led to very significant increase of maize grain and alfalfa yields. The production reached the level of yields obtained in the area on land that was not affected by mining activities. The alfalfa plants concentration of macro elements and micro elements belongs to the "normal" domain. The maize leaves had scarce nitrogen, potassium, copper, iron, and manganese contents and normal phosphorus and zinc contents.