Bananas: Cost-Benefit Analysis for MinPlus (Volcanic Basalt Rock Dust)

Bananas: Cost-Benefit Analysis for MinPlus (Volcanic Basalt Rock Dust) T.D. Edwards The Harding Brothers farm in Queensland, Australia has been doing trials with rock dust since mid-1985. The Results: Fertilizer applications have been reduced by 80 percent. Saving in fertilizer costs Minimizing environmental damage caused by runoff contamination. Dolomite application reduced by 50% and at 16 months there is no sign of magnesium deficiency. This deficiency was a problem prior to using Min Plus. The banana plants are more healthy with ...

Chemical and mineralogical characterisation of cutting process sludge

Chemical and mineralogical characterisation of cutting process sludge PETER VAN STRAATEN Dr. Annita Colombo*, Dr. Annalisa Tunesi*, Dr. Valentina Barberini**,Dr. Lucia Galimberti*, Dr. Alessandro Cavallo* *Department ofGeological Sciences and Geotechnologies, University of Milan Bicocca -www.geo.unimib.it **Department of Earth Sciences Ardito Desio,University of Milan ABSTRACT The sludge produced through the sawing and working of stone is stillconsidered an inert waste product. Once it has satisfied the requiredcriteria for acceptance, it is given to authorised waste ...

Research on Saving California Oaks

Research on Saving California Oaks Lee K. KlingerP.O. Box 644, Big Sur, California 93920 ABSTRACT Pathologists investigating the recent death of many oak trees in northern California have concluded that the problem is due to a new plant disease, dubbed sudden oak death (SOD), caused by the fungal pathogen Phytophthora ramorum. While not disputing that P. ramorum is involved in the final demise of many oaks, there are a growing numberof experts who do not agree that this pathogen is the fundamental cause of the decline. They point out that most of the dying oaks in ...

Farming With Rocks and Minerals: Challenges and Opportunities

Farming With Rocks and Minerals: Challenges and Opportunities Peter Van StraatenDepartment of Land Resource Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1 Manuscript received on September 29, 2005; accepted for publication on March 13, 2006Presented by Othon H. Leonardo ABSTRACT In many parts of the world food security is at risk. One of the biophysical root causes of falling per-capita food production is the declining quality and quantity of soils. To reverse this trend and increase soil fertility soil and plant nutrients have to be replenished. This review ...