Cumulative effects of sewage sludge compost application on winter bean grown in Cerrado soil

Abstract

The application of micronutrients in Cerrado soils is an indispensable practice to increase the bean crop yield. Sewage sludge compost (SSC) can be an alternative source of these elements. However, till date no study has been carried out with SSC aiming the supply of micronutrients in the Cerrado region (Brazilian tropical savanna). The objective of this study is to evaluate the cumulative effects of two consecutive SSC applications as a micronutrients source in the Cerrado region on winter bean development and the subsequent soil chemical changes. A field experiment will be carried out in the municipality area of Selvíria, MS. The experimental design will be a randomized complete block design, arranged in a factorial scheme [4 x 2 + 2], with four replicates. The treatments of this study will consists of (I) the control treatment without any mineral fertilizers or SSC application, (II) the mineral fertilizer application but no SSC addition, and (III) four doses of SSC (10.0, 15.0, 20.0 and 25.0 Mg ha-1, wet basis) applied to soil in total area and in the inter-rows. Soil samples will be collected in the end of crop harvest to evaluate the chemical changes (OM, pH, CEC, H+Al, Al, SB, BS, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn). The following evaluations will be carried out on the bean plants: mineral nutrition, productive components and grain yield. The data set will be statistically analyzed using ANOVA, Tukey's test, correlation, and polynomial regressions.