Use of stabilization pond sludge in cultivation of roses

Abstract

One option for the increasing production of sewage sludge (SS) is its agricultural use in crops with high nutritional demand, such as the rose. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study the application of SS from primary stabilization pond in roses of the variety 'Carola'. For the experiment, the roses were planted in 20 L recipients using increasing doses of sludge (T2 - 12 Mg ha-1, T3 - 24 Mg ha-1 and T4 - 36 Mg ha-1), mineral fertilizer (T5) and control treatment (T1, without N) in a randomized block design. The evaluated parameters were: roots dry mass, aerial dry mass, total biomass, leaflets area and nitrogen concentration in the leaf. The SS application resulted in better development of the rose, increasing the roots and the aerial biomasses, the leaflets area, and nitrogen content in the leaves compared to the control (T1). There was no statistical difference between the use of mineral fertilizer (T5), and the SS under the highest dose (T4). With these benefits, the use in agriculture of sewage sludge derived from stabilization ponds proved to be an adequate option for its disposal.