Abstract

RAMIREZ PISCO, Ramiro; VELASQUEZ POMAR, Diana Cristina  and  ACOSTA BAENA, Elizabeth. EFFECT OF BIOSOLIDS APPLICATION ON THE GROWTH OF Jacaranda mimosifolia (Gualanday) AND UNDER  PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CONDITIONS OF A DEGRADED SOIL. Rev. Fac. Nac. Agron. Medellín [online]. 2007, vol.60, n.1, pp.3751-3770. ISSN 0304-2847.

The biosolids are organic materials, derived from wastewater treatment of domestic and industrial sewage. One of the main problems of wastewater treatment plants is the final destination of the biosolids. Their deposit in sanitary fillers, the incineration and land application are the main methods of dispose; the first two methods are expensive, while the last one, is gaining acceptance, because the biosolids are a resource that can be used as supplementary organic fertilizer. Furthermore, land application of biosolids can help to improve declined soil fertility in degraded soils, but it can be generated contamination problems. The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of biosolids application on the growth of Jacaranda mimosifolia (Gualanday) and the changes on physical and chemical conditions of a degraded soil. This arboreal specie was planted in a degraded soil amended with biosolids, and was grown in a greenhouse. The treatments corresponded to contents of organic matter in the mixture (soil-biosolid) of 0 %, 2 %, 4 % and 8 %, in a completely randomized design with four treatments and ten replications. Monthly samplings were realized to get information about the variables: survival, height and diameter of stem, and number of leaves. The dry biomass was evaluated at the end of the study. The physical and chemical analyses were made at the beginning of the experiment and three months later. The chemical analyses included pH, oxidable organic carbon, Al, Ca, Mg, K, CICE, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, P, S, B, NO3-, NH4+, and the physical analyses included aggregate stability, bulk density, real density and water retention. The statistical analysis between treatments was realized every month, by analysis of variance and Duncan's multiple range test, using a 95 % confidence level. The treatment with a 2 % of organic matter was not affected the plant growth  and  was similar with the untreated control. The treatments with a 4 % and 8 % of organic matter caused a lower survival, a lower growth in height, diameter, and lesser number of leaves and a lower production of biomass. The high concentration of nutrients found on the soil, probably generated toxicity, antagonism and/or synergism problems. The physical soil properties were favored with the addition of biosolids, possibly for its organic matter contents, appearing an increase in the aggregate stability and the humidity retention, and a diminution of the bulk density and the real density.

Keywords : Biosólids; degraded soil; growth; Jacaranda mimosifolia.

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