Influence of the sanitary sewage application method to closed-end furrows on the macronutrient extraction capacity and productivity of elephant grass

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the form of raw sanitary sewage (RS) application in closed-end and level-bottom furrows on the dry matter yield and macronutrient extraction capacity (extraction of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) by the aerial part (stem and leaves) of elephant grass. Fertigation of elephant grass with RS were conducted for 3 uninterrupted years, and the RS application dose was established as a function of the amount of sodium fed to the soil (300 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹). In the experimental planning four treatments were established, where two experimental plots received RS and the water demand was complemented by treated water from the public supply network (TW), with and without alternation in the position of RS application in the furrows (TFA and TFN, respectively); and as a control there were two experimental plots in which the plants received conventional mineral fertilization, where the grass was irrigated with TW, with and without alternation in the position of water application in the furrows (TWA and TWN, respectively). The greatest mean dry matter yield (29.9 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) and mean macronutrient extraction values were found for plants submitted to TFA (688, 102, 508 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ of N, P and K, respectively), compared to those obtained in the other treatments.