Effects of sewage sludge and nitrogen fertilizer on herbage growth and soil fertility improvement in restoration of the abandoned opencast mining areas in Shanxi, China

A field trial was conducted to investigate the effects of application of sewage sludge and nitrogen fertilizer on herbage growth and fertility improvement of raw mixed-loess soils at the west waste dump of Antaibao surface mine (ATB) in Shanxi, China. Four indigenous species present in mining areas, including Kentucky bluegrass, Erect milkvetch, Alfalfa and Alfalfa–ryegrass mixture were selected as the herbaceous plants in the field trial. The results showed that applying sewage sludge and nitrogen fertilizer, biomasses of all the four grasses were significantly increased when compared with those in the control group. After 100 days growth, applying sewage sludge had the greatest effects on biomass increasing for Kentucky bluegrass (17.54 times in the overground yields and 13.94 times in underground yields when compared with the control group) or Alfalfa–ryegrass mixture (5.34 and 7.20 times, respectively); meanwhile, the combined application of sewage sludge and nitrogen fertilizer also had the best effects. It was concluded that Kentucky bluegrass is the best pioneer species for quickly establishing vegetation in ATB abandoned opencast mining areas; municipal sewage sludge is an effective bio-fertilizer for the fertility improvement of raw mixed-loess soils; and the combined application of sewage sludge and nitrogen fertilizer in plots revegetated with Alfalfa–ryegrass mixture is the best strategy to help quickly establish a self-sustaining vegetation system during the primary stage of reclamation in ATB abandoned opencast mining areas in China.