Agronomic performance of common bean crops fertigated with treated sewage and mineral fertilizer

Abstract

The water deficit in arid and semiarid regions and the high cost of fertilizers are factors for the study of application of sewage on agricultural crops. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of application of different doses of treated sewage from the tertiary treatment (TS-3), and mineral fertilizer on the yield and production components of common bean plants. The experiment was conducted in Janaúba, MG, Brazil, using a randomized block design, with four repetitions, in a split-plot scheme, with five treatments in the plots consisting of potassium (K2O) applications at the dose required by common bean plants via clear water + 40 kg ha-1 of K2O mineral (Control), and TS-3 applications supplying 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg ha-1 of K2O, and two cultivars in the subplots, BRS-MG-Madreperola and Ouro Negro. The cultivar Ouro Negro was more responsive than the cultivar BRS-MG-Madreperola to the different TS-3 doses and mineral fertilizer regarding their leaf, stem, and shoot dry weights, and their ratios. However, the highest doses of K2O via TS-3 affected negatively the grain yield in common bean plants. The dose of 20 kg ha-1 of K2O via TS-3 is the best dose for common bean plants.

Impacts on Soil and Cowpea Plants Fertigated with Sanitary Sewage through Subsurface Drip Irrigation

“…Considering the treatment averages, for drip irrigation installed at 20 cm depth, the potassium concentration was higher, indicating the ability of synthetic sanitary sewage to provide nutrients at desired soil depths (Figure 3). Araújo et al [3] found that the agricultural use of sanitary sewage is an alternative to provide water and nutrients for plants and recycle nutrients for the soil.…”

“…The disposal of sanitary sewage in agriculture is a sustainable way to provide water and nutrients to plants while recycling nutrients in the soil [3]. However, this disposal of sanitary sewage into the soil must be carefully managed, as uncontrolled application can lead to soil salinization, clay dispersion [4,5], and contamination of plants, humans, and the environment, especially when applied through methods such as sprinkler irrigation.…”