GRAIN YIELD AND MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF COWPEA PLANTS GROWN UNDER RESIDUAL EFFECT OF SEWAGE SLUDGE FERTILIZATION1

• Published in: Caatinga 2020-03, Vol.33 (1), p.21-30
• Main Authors: LOPES, PAULO AUGUSTO PEREIRA, PEGORARO, RODINEI FACCO, KONDO, MARCOS KOITI, SANTOS, SILVÂNIO RODRIGUES DOS, FERNANDES, LUIZ ARNALDO
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE; AGRONOMY; FISHERIES; FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY; FORESTRY; VETERINARY SCIENCES
• ISSN: 0100-316X; 1983-2125; 1983-2125
• DOI: 10.1590/1983-21252020v33n103rc

ABSTRACT Cowpea plants produce protein-rich grains and present high yield potential when grown under irrigation and organic fertilization, enabling to substitute part of the mineral fertilizer with sewage sludge, reducing costs and generating environmental benefits. Thus, a field study about residual effect of sewage sludge fertilization on cowpea was developed to evaluate this substitution. The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design with four replications, in a 2×5 factorial arrangement consisted of two fertilization types (residual effect of sewage sludge fertilization, and mineral fertilizers) and five cowpea cultivars (BRS-Pajeu, BRS-Xiquexique, BRS-Marataoa, BRS-Pujante, and BRS-Cauame). The residual fertilizations were from applications of sewage sludge and NPK mineral fertilizers for pineapple crops grown in the area before the cowpea crop. The experiment was conducted using 80,000 plants ha-1 and micro-sprinkler irrigation. Vegetative and yield components, grain yield, and microbiological quality were analyzed. BRS-Pujante had the highest cowpea grain yield (4,124 kg ha-1) and the highest means for vegetative and yield components. The soil with residual sewage sludge fertilization improved the cowpea root growth and grain yield (3,854 kg ha-1); the latter was 19% higher than that of treatments with mineral fertilization. These results were related to the great soil organic matter content provided by the sludge fertilization, which promotes nutrient mineralization, increasing grain yield. Fresh and dry grains of cowpea plants grown under residual effect of sewage sludge fertilization have similar microbiological quality to those of plants grown under mineral fertilization. RESUMO O feijão-caupi é um cereal rico em proteínas que apresenta elevado potencial produtivo quando cultivado com irrigação e adubação orgânica, sendo possível substituir parte dos fertilizantes minerais pelo lodo de esgoto, com redução de custos e vantagens ambientais. Para avaliar essa substituição, desenvolveu-se um estudo da adubação residual com lodo de esgoto em feijoeiros cultivados no campo, no delineamento em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições, em esquema fatorial 2 x 5, correspondendo a dois tipos de adubação (efeito residual do lodo de esgoto ou fertilizantes minerais), e cinco cultivares de feijão-caupi (BRS Pajeú, BRS Xiquexique, BRS Marataoã, BRS Pujante e BRS Cauamé). A adubação residual foi caracterizada pela aplicação de lodo e fertilizan