Assessment for Agricultural Use of FGD Gypsum in the Southeast USA.

Using FGD gypsum produced from the SO₂scrubber at Georgia Power Company’s Plant Yates, Southern Company has worked with growers and distributors to establish a network of more than 100 agronomic demonstration sites in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi.  These sites have been established over a 10-year period and include a variety of crops, soil types, and locations.  At each location, gypsum has been supplied to the grower in return for the opportunity to obtain data on gypsum-treated and control plots.

Data includes crop yield and various environmental information, primarily soil and plant tissue analysis for trace metals.  Outstanding average yield increases ranging from 10-50% have been observed for all plants tested – including  peanuts, cotton, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupes, alfalfa, hay, soybeans, turfgrass, and pine trees.  In addition, environmental data shows no increase in trace element concentrations for gypsum plots compared to the adjacent control plots.