Aluminium dynamics from soil to tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.): is it enhanced by municipal solid waste compost application?

Application of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) in tea (Camellia sinensis L.) cultivation can increase the fertility status of soils and thus enhance the plant growth. The present study attempts at application of MSWC in tea (TV1 and TV23 clones) cultivation to assess the effect of different doses of MSWC on growth and translocation potential of Al on this plant as well as fate of Al in soil, through the calculation of a risk assessment code (RAC). The sequential extraction of Al in MSWC amended soils showed that the fractionation of Al in soil changed after compost application, with an overall increase of the fractions associated to with Fe-Mn oxides, organic and of the residual fraction. The accumulation of Al in different parts ofC. sinensisL., grown on MSWC amended soil effected an overall increased growth of the plant with increasing doses of MSWC. According to RAC, Al falls in medium to high risk, though no adverse effect on plant health was observed. Tea plants were found to adapt well to MSWC amended soils. However, long term field trials are necessary to completely assess the risk of Al accumulation in soils upon MSWC application. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied aiming to check for the presence of homogenous groups among different treatments. It was found that in both TV1 and TV23, treatments formed two different groups.