Some effects of dunder application on delta soils of the Burdekin

For every litre of alcohol produced, 8-12 litres (10% solids, 1.5% ash) of the waste product dunder is also produced (McNeil et al., 1982). Land disposal of dunder has been widely practised in Brazil, where there is a large power alcohol industry. Concentrated application of the waste makes disposal cheaper and high application rates of 1 000-10 000 m3/ha/year have been reported (Mazza et al., 1987). Triangle Ltd in Zimbabwe concentrated their dunder onto only 5% of the land but have measured a 7% yield increase (Wenman and Tannock, 1984). Such high rates of application may not be sustainable because of the inorganic loading, especially potassium. This project examined some of the effects of high dosage rates of dunder over the long term on a range of Burdekin delta soils. Specifically, it aimed to determine the effects on crop and sugar yield, sugar quality and soil properties, in particular