Sludges from the municipal wastewater treatment plant may have valuable agronomical properties. Using sludge in agriculture is encouraged, as long as it is properly handled and it doesn’t cause damage on the quality of the soil and agricultural products.(5) Using such sludges in the case of perennial fodder cultures may bring some financial and ecological advantages but only under rational use and after some thorough chemical tests have been carried out. The present paper presents some preliminary data on the evolution of some productive features of the specie Medicago sativa where different doses municipal sludges have been used. It is to be mentioned that these doses have not exceeded the maximum allowed by the EU and national legislation. Lucerne is a well-regarded plant due to its usefulness for various purposes but its usage as a fodder plant represents the most important role. The superiority of lucerne over other fodder cultures is firstly explained by large yields of forage, by the high quality of the forage and by its capacity of production over the years without being reseeded. The main characteristics have been studied regarding quality and quantity of fodder. The main characteristic taken under study was the production of green mass, depending on the sludge doses used, between 70 and 80 of green mass t/ha. The second productive characteristic taken under study was the height of the plant, this being determinant in what regards the quantity of fodder obtained. The height of the lucerne plants varied according to the sludge doses used, between 73cm and 96 cm. Another characteristic regarding the quality and the quantity of fodder is the content and the production of dry matter obtained per unit of surface. The quantity of dry matter varies between 15 and 19 tons of dry matter obtained per hectare.

Medicago sativa, municipal sludge, production, influence, usage.

Presentation: oral