Use of aquaculture wastewater in the cultivation of cactus pear as an alternative for semi-arid regions

Abstract

AbstractThe objective was to characterize the dilutions of aquaculture wastewater in supply water and the morphometric and productive characteristics of the cactus pear. The experiment was installed at the Water Reuse Experimental Unit in Mossoró-RN, a Semi-Arid region of Brazil. The design was in randomized blocks with five treatments and five replications, being (D1—100% supply water; D2—75% supply water and 25% aquaculture wastewater; D3—50% supply water and 50% aquaculture wastewater; D4—25% supply water and 75% aquaculture wastewater; and D5—100% aquaculture wastewater). The physical–chemical characterization of the dilutions and the evaluation of the palm production and development parameters were carried out. The occupied area (Aop), the fresh volume of aerial phytomass (Vf), and the fresh weight of the aerial phytomass produced by the forage cactus (Pf) were estimated. The proportion of 75% aquaculture wastewater and 25% supply water provided the lowest average value for plant height in the analysis carried out over time and 365 days after planting. Variations in dilutions of aquaculture wastewater in supply water did not provide any difference in the plant's moisture content. Replacing supply water with aquaculture wastewater by up to 25% allowed productivity-like control.