%0 Journal Article
%T Biosolids Application on Banana Production: Soil Chemical Properties and Plant Nutrition
%A Luiz Antonio Junqueira Teixeira
%A Ronaldo Severiano Berton
%A Aline Rene¨¦ Coscione
%A Luis Alberto Saes
%J Applied and Environmental Soil Science
%D 2011
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2011/238185
%X Biosolids are relatively rich in N, P, and S and could be used to substitute mineral fertilization for banana crop. A field experiment was carried out in a Yellow Oxisol to investigate the effects of biosolids application on soil chemical properties and on banana leaf's nutrient concentration during the first cropping cycle. Soil analysis (pH, organic matter, resin P, exchangeable Ca and K, available B, DTPA-extracted micronutrients, and heavy metals) and index-leaf analysis (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb) were evaluated. Biosolids can completely substitute mineral N and P fertilizer to banana growth. Soil exchangeable K and leaf-K concentration must be monitored in order to avoid K deficiency in banana plants. No risk of heavy metal (Cr, Ni, Pb, and Cd) concentration increase in the index leaf was observed when biosolids were applied at the recommended N rate. 1. Introduction The amount of residues constantly produced during sewage treatment process has significantly increased in the State of SŁżo Paulo, Brazil. The sewage sludge (SS), also called biosolids when treated by various methods to remove or reduce pathogens [1], is a residue obtained from the wastewater treatment process, which is a cleanser procedure to remediate polluted waters allowing their safe return to nature. Among the alternatives for the sewage sludge disposal, there is the use as fertilizer for agriculture. According to Melo and Marques [2], sewage sludge is a potential source of nutrients for plants and might be a soil conditioner by improving soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Silveira et al. [3] mentioned that biosolids application in agriculture has already become a common practice because it may improve some soil chemical (pH and organic matter) and physical properties as increase crop yields as well. Since biosolids contain high amount of N, it is usually employed as N source to plants, and several studies have shown that it can completely substitute N fertilizer for several crops such as sugar cane [4], heart of palm [5], sunflower [6, 7], and corn [8]. Furthermore, it also can supply part of P, Ca, Mg, S, and Zn required by the crop [9, 10]. However, because of its low K content, it is necessary to supplement this nutrient as mineral fertilizer [9, 11]. Biosolids also contain contaminants such as heavy metals which must be taken into account in their agricultural use [12]. Hence, it has created a demand for information on the suitability of soil extractants, such as DTPA-TEA (diethylene-triamine-pentaacetic acid), that could predict plant-available
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aess/2011/238185/