Fly ash is regularly generated as a by-product by coal or thermal power stations. The potential of fly ash as a resource material in agriculture and related areas is now a well-established fact. The application of fly ash in agriculture is due to its favorable physicochemical properties, including appreciable content of essential plant nutrients. When compared to soil, fly ash consists of all the elements except organic carbon and nitrogen. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the characterization and utilization of fly ash in agriculture. The effects of fly ash on soil properties, improvement in crop yields, and heavy metal uptake by plants were mentioned. The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibility of fly ash addition into degraded soil for improving nutritional and physicochemical properties.

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1. Adrino DC, Page AL, Elseewi AA, Chang AC, Straughan I. Utilisation and disposal of fly ash and other coal residue in terrestrial ecosystem: A review. J Environ Qual. 1989;9:333–344.
2. Aitken RL, Bell LC. Plant uptake and phytotoxicity of boron in Australian fly ash. Plant Soil. 1985;84:245–257.
3. Šesták Z, Čatský J. References no. 15368–18420/ABD-ZUT. InReferences no. 15368–18420/ABD-ZUT 1978 (pp. 1-173). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.
4. Butlin KR, Postgate JR. In: Fry BA, Peel JL, editors. Autotrophic micro-organisms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1954. p. 271.
5. Ciravolo TG, Adrino DC. Utilization of coal ash by crops under greenhouse conditions. In: Wale M, editor. Ecology and coal resource development. Oxford: Pergamon Press; 1979. p. 958–966.
6. Eary LE, Rai D, Mathigod SV, Ainsworth CC. Geochemical factors controlling the mobilization of inorganic constituents from fossil fuel combustion residues II. Review of minor elements. J Environ Qual. 1990;19:202–214.
7. Elseewi AA, Bingham FT, Page AL. Availability of sulfur in fly ash to plants. J Environ Qual. 1980;7:69–73.
8. Elfving DC, Bache CA, Gutenmann WH, Lisk DJ. Analysis of crops grown on waste amended soils. Biocycle. 1981;12:44–47.
9. Fail JL Jr, Wochok ZS. Soybean growth on fly ash amended strip mine spoils. Plant Soil. 1977;48:472–484.
10. Fail JL Jr. Growth response of two grasses and legume on coal fly ash amended stripmine spoils. Plant Soil. 1987;101:149–150.
11. Fulekar MH, Dave JM. Environmental impact assessment of fly ash from coal-fired power plants. Ecology. 1990;4:25–33.
12. Furr AK, Kelly WC, Bache CA, Gutenmann WH, Lisk DJ. Multielement uptake by vegetables and millet grown in pots on fly ash amended soil. J Agric Food Chem. 1976;24:885–888.
13. Gupta BN, William AJ, Banerjee SK. Impact of thermal power emission on vegetation and soil. Proc Indian Natl Sci Acad B. 1995.
14. Ferraiolo G, Zilli M, Converti A. Fly ash disposal and utilisation. J Chem Technol. 1990:281–301.
15. Hem JD. Chemistry of occurrence of Cd and Zn in surface water and groundwater. Water Resour Res. 1972;8:661–667.
16. Hesse PR. A textbook of soil chemical analysis. London: John Murray; 1971. p. 528.
17. Jackson ML, Piper CS. Methods of soil analysis. Part 2: Chemical and microbiological properties. In: Page AL, editor. Madison (WI): American Society of Agronomy; 1980. p. 166–179.
18. Kanwar JS. Balanced fertilizer use and food security. Fert News. 1994;42:63–67.
19. Khan S, Begum T, Singh J. Effect of fly ash on physico-chemical properties and nutrient status of soil. J Environ Health. 1996;38(1):41–46.

Fly ash is regularly generated as a by-product by coal or thermal power stations. The potential of fly ash as a resource material in agriculture and related areas is now a well-established fact. The application of fly ash in agriculture is due to its favorable physicochemical properties, including appreciable content of essential plant nutrients. When compared to soil, fly ash consists of all the elements except organic carbon and nitrogen. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the characterization and utilization of fly ash in agriculture. The effects of fly ash on soil properties, improvement in crop yields, and heavy metal uptake by plants were mentioned. The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibility of fly ash addition into degraded soil for improving nutritional and physicochemical properties.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Adrino DC, Page AL, Elseewi AA, Chang AC, Straughan I. Utilisation and disposal of fly ash and other coal residue in terrestrial ecosystem: A review. J Environ Qual. 1989;9:333–344.
2. Aitken RL, Bell LC. Plant uptake and phytotoxicity of boron in Australian fly ash. Plant Soil. 1985;84:245–257.
3. Šesták Z, Čatský J. References no. 15368–18420/ABD-ZUT. InReferences no. 15368–18420/ABD-ZUT 1978 (pp. 1-173). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.
4. Butlin KR, Postgate JR. In: Fry BA, Peel JL, editors. Autotrophic micro-organisms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1954. p. 271.
5. Ciravolo TG, Adrino DC. Utilization of coal ash by crops under greenhouse conditions. In: Wale M, editor. Ecology and coal resource development. Oxford: Pergamon Press; 1979. p. 958–966.
6. Eary LE, Rai D, Mathigod SV, Ainsworth CC. Geochemical factors controlling the mobilization of inorganic constituents from fossil fuel combustion residues II. Review of minor elements. J Environ Qual. 1990;19:202–214.
7. Elseewi AA, Bingham FT, Page AL. Availability of sulfur in fly ash to plants. J Environ Qual. 1980;7:69–73.
8. Elfving DC, Bache CA, Gutenmann WH, Lisk DJ. Analysis of crops grown on waste amended soils. Biocycle. 1981;12:44–47.
9. Fail JL Jr, Wochok ZS. Soybean growth on fly ash amended strip mine spoils. Plant Soil. 1977;48:472–484.
10. Fail JL Jr. Growth response of two grasses and legume on coal fly ash amended stripmine spoils. Plant Soil. 1987;101:149–150.
11. Fulekar MH, Dave JM. Environmental impact assessment of fly ash from coal-fired power plants. Ecology. 1990;4:25–33.
12. Furr AK, Kelly WC, Bache CA, Gutenmann WH, Lisk DJ. Multielement uptake by vegetables and millet grown in pots on fly ash amended soil. J Agric Food Chem. 1976;24:885–888.
13. Gupta BN, William AJ, Banerjee SK. Impact of thermal power emission on vegetation and soil. Proc Indian Natl Sci Acad B. 1995.
14. Ferraiolo G, Zilli M, Converti A. Fly ash disposal and utilisation. J Chem Technol. 1990:281–301.
15. Hem JD. Chemistry of occurrence of Cd and Zn in surface water and groundwater. Water Resour Res. 1972;8:661–667.
16. Hesse PR. A textbook of soil chemical analysis. London: John Murray; 1971. p. 528.
17. Jackson ML, Piper CS. Methods of soil analysis. Part 2: Chemical and microbiological properties. In: Page AL, editor. Madison (WI): American Society of Agronomy; 1980. p. 166–179.
18. Kanwar JS. Balanced fertilizer use and food security. Fert News. 1994;42:63–67.
19. Khan S, Begum T, Singh J. Effect of fly ash on physico-chemical properties and nutrient status of soil. J Environ Health. 1996;38(1):41–46.