Exploring the potential of invasive aquatic weeds to supply N to tropical soils

Samenvatting (Engelstalig)

The spread of aquatic weeds, water hyacinth and hippo grass, has become a serious problem in freshwater bodies in (sub) tropical regions. Many efforts have been made to reduce their expansion with little success. Finding economic uses for these weeds can provide a solution to control their spread. These weeds naturally spread due to high levels of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in water, and they help absorb these nutrients and reduce their concentrations. Since N remains the most deficient nutrient in tropical soils, these weeds could potentially be used as amendments to add N to soils. However, caution is needed to select weeds with low heavy metal concentrations by harvesting them from locations away from contamination sources. We evaluated the effectiveness of aquatic weeds to supply N when composted, fermented (bokashi), or dried, and their impact on soil properties and on the growth, yield and grain quality of sorghum.