Composted Sewage Sludge Sustains High Maize Productivity on an Infertile Oxisol in the Brazilian Cerrado
Adrielle Rodrigues Prates,
Karen Cossi Kawakami,
Aline Renée Coscione,
Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho,
Orivaldo Arf,
Cassio Hamilton Abreu-Junior,
Fernando Carvalho Oliveira,
Adônis Moreira,
Fernando Shintate Galindo,
Zhenli He,
Arun Dilipkumar Jani,
Gian Franco Capra,
Antonio Ganga,
Thiago Assis Rodrigues Nogueira
Affiliations
Adrielle Rodrigues Prates
Department of Plant Protection, Rural Engineering, and Soils, São Paulo State University, Av. Brazil Sul n◦ 56, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, SP, Brazil
Karen Cossi Kawakami
Department of Plant Protection, Rural Engineering, and Soils, São Paulo State University, Av. Brazil Sul n◦ 56, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, SP, Brazil
Aline Renée Coscione
Center of Soils and Environmental Resources, Campinas Agronomic Institute, Av. Barão de Itapura n◦ 1481, Campinas 13020-902, SP, Brazil
Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho
Department of Plant Protection, Rural Engineering, and Soils, São Paulo State University, Av. Brazil Sul n◦ 56, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, SP, Brazil
Orivaldo Arf
Department of Plant Technology, Food Technology and Partner Economics, São Paulo State University, Av. Brazil Sul n◦ 56, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, SP, Brazil
Cassio Hamilton Abreu-Junior
Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Centenário n◦ 303, Piracicaba 13416-000, SP, Brazil
Fernando Carvalho Oliveira
Tera Ambiental Ltda. Estrada Municipal do Varjão n◦ 4.520, Jundiaí 13212-590, SP, Brazil
Adônis Moreira
Department of Soil Science, Embrapa Soja, Rodovia Carlos João Strass, Londrina 86001-970, PR, Brazil
Fernando Shintate Galindo
Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Centenário n◦ 303, Piracicaba 13416-000, SP, Brazil
Zhenli He
Indian River Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA
Arun Dilipkumar Jani
Department of Biology and Chemistry, California State University, Monterey Bay, Seaside, CA 93955, USA
Gian Franco Capra
Dipartimento di Architettura, Design e Urbanistica, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Polo Bionaturalistico, Via Piandanna n◦ 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Antonio Ganga
Dipartimento di Architettura, Design e Urbanistica, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Polo Bionaturalistico, Via Piandanna n◦ 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Thiago Assis Rodrigues Nogueira
Department of Plant Protection, Rural Engineering, and Soils, São Paulo State University, Av. Brazil Sul n◦ 56, Ilha Solteira 15385-000, SP, Brazil
Mato Grosso do Sul State in Brazil is characterized by the ‘Cerrado’ ecoregion, which is the most biologically rich Savannah globally. In agricultural terms, the region produces several commodities that are exported around the world. This level of productivity has been achieved through the large-scale use of synthetic fertilizers, which has created several economic and environmental concerns. New approaches in soil fertility management are required to avoid environmental degradation, pollution, and socio-environmental damages. A field experiment, lasting two years, was conducted to investigate the composted sewage sludge (CSS) effects on an infertile acidic soil (Oxisol) planted to maize (Zea mays L.). The following complete randomized complete block design with a 4 × 2 + 2 factorial scheme (four replications) was applied: four CSS increasing rates (from 5.0 to 12.5 Mg ha−1, w.b.) following two application methods (whole area and between crop rows). A control, without CSS or synthetic fertilizers, and conventional synthetic fertilization without CSS were also investigated. Evaluated parameters were: (i) soil and leaf micronutrient concentrations; (ii) maize development, yield, and production. The CSS application increased: (i) the concentration of micronutrients in both soil and leaves; and (ii) the crop yield. Both were particularly true at the higher CSS applied rates. Such organic fertilizer can be safely used as a source of micronutrients for crops as an important low-cost and environmentally friendly alternative to mineral fertilizers, thus safeguarding soil health.
