Sewage sludge is a by-product of wastewater treatment facilities and in most cases, it is not properly managed being deposited in landfills. This waste has all essential nutrients for the mineral nutrition of plants in addition to having high levels of organic matter which promotes greater water retention, improving the physical and biological soil attributes. The aim of the current research was to evaluate substrates of composted sewage sludge and commercial substrate with different mixtures in H13 clone seedlings (Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla) by evaluating biotic factors (plant height and diameter), dry matter production, seedling quality, mineral nutrition of plants, and chemical characteristics of the substrate. The experimental design was completely randomized with 5 treatments and 4 repetitions composed of 352 seedlings per plot. The treatments were: T1 - 100% composted sludge; T2 - 75% composted sludge and 25% commercial substrate; T3 - 50% composted sludge and 50% commercial substrate; T4 - 25% composted sludge and 75% commercial substrate; T5 - 100% commercial substrate. Plants with a greater amount of sewage sludge in the substrate performed better in all evaluated parameters.
Growth, mineral nutrition, and physiological parameters of Eucalyptus urophylla cultivated in soils with different nutrient reserves
