Effect of different nickel soil contents on cock’s-foot yield and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents

Abstract This study assessed the influence of liming and waste organic materials on the yield and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents in cock’s-foot (Dactylis glomerata L.) grown on nickel-contaminated soil in the third year of a pot culture experiment. In the experiment, the following factors were taken into consideration: (1) nickel soil contamination (0, 75, 150 and 225 mg Ni·kg−1 of soil); (2) liming (0 Ca and Ca according to 1 Hh of soil) and (3) organic materials (no waste organic materials added, brown coal from a coal mine in Turów and rye straw). Introducing nickel into the soil, regardless of its amount, caused a significant decrease in the total yield of cock’s-foot and increased the nitrogen and potassium contents. Liming caused a significant increase in the yield of cock’s-foot and decrease its potassium content, but it did not clearly differentiate the nitrogen and phosphorus content. The used organic materials (straw and brown coal) caused a decrease in the phosphorus content in the grass biomass.