Sugarcane Filter Cake Research Articles

Organic matter quality and dynamics in tropical soils amended with sugar industry residue

Soil organic matter depletion caused by agricultural management systems have been identified as a critical problem in most tropical soils. The application of organic residues from agro-industrial activities can ameliorate this problem by increasing soil organic matter quality and quantity. Humic substances play an important role in soil conservation but the dynamics of their transformations is still poorly understood. This study evaluated the effect of compost application to two contrasting tropical soils (Inceptisol and Oxisol) for two years. Soil samples were incubated with compost consisting of sugarcane filter cake, a residue from the sugar industry, at 0, 40, 80, and 120 Mg ha-1. Filter cake compost changed the humic matter dynamics in both content and quality, affecting the soil mineralogical composition. It was observed that carbon mineralization was faster in the illite-containing Inceptisol, whereas humic acids were preserved for a longer period in the Oxisol. In both soils, compost application increased fulvic acid contents, favoring the formation of small hydrophilic molecules. A decrease in fluorescence intensity according to the incubation time was observed in the humic acids extracted from amended soils, revealing important chemical changes in this otherwise stable C pool.

Interactions of mustard plants and soil microorganisms after application of sugarcane filter cake and pea residues to an Andosol

AbstractIn a pot experiment using a strongly P‐fixing Andosol from Nicaragua, the effects of sugarcane–filter cake application on the growth of white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) were compared with those of 13C‐labeled pea residues. The application of pea residues led to a 50% increase and the application of filter cake to a 30% decrease in soil organic matter–derived microbial biomass C compared with the control. In contrast, the application of filter cake resulted in a four times higher content of substrate‐derived microbial biomass C than that of pea residues. The application of organic substrates generally increased microbial biomass N. Mustard growth led to significant increases in microbial biomass P in the control, but also in the organic‐amendment treatments, which always resulted in decreased microbial biomass C : P ratios. Mustard growth also led to increased contents of Bray‐1‐extractable P, but this increase was only significant in the filter cake treatment. The application of pea residues had no effect on the yield of shoot C, but a positive effect on the yield of root C in comparison with the nonamended control. In contrast, the application of filter cake significantly depressed yields of shoot C and root C, due to N immobilization, presumably due to the high concentration of lignin.

INTEGRATED EFFECT OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC NITROGEN SOURCES ON SOIL FERTILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF MAIZE

The present study was designed to assess the effect of organic materials, i.e., farm yard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM) and sugar cane filter cake (FC) along with mineral nitrogen on yield and soil organic fertility. Our results indicated that among sole nitrogen (N) sources, highest grain yield was recorded from poultry manure. In the case of integrated N sources, maximum grain yield was obtained from 25% poultry manure + 75% mineral N source. Grain ear−1 and 1000 grain weight was highest with the application of poultry manure among sole N sources. Highest grain ear−1 and 1000 grain weight was observed from 25% poultry manure + 75% mineral N source. Application of poultry manure as sole N sources resulted maximum increase in soil total N and organic matter when compared with other sole N sources. Among N sources applied in different proportion, maximum total soil N was recorded from 25% poultry manure + 75% mineral N. We concluded from these experiments that integrated application of N sources in different proportion greatly improves the N economy and enhance crop productivity in low N soils.

Organic Matter and Barium Absorption by Plant Species Grown in an Area Polluted with Scrap Metal Residue

The effect of organic matter addition on Ba availability toHelianthus annuusL.,Raphanus sativusL., andRicinus communisL. grown on a Neossolo Litólico Chernossólico fragmentário (pH 7.5), contaminated with scrap residue was evaluated. Four rates (0, 20, 40, and 80 Mg ha−1, organic carbon basis) of peat or sugar cane filter, with three replicates, were tested. Plant species were grown until the flowering stage. No effect of organic matter addition to soil on dry matter yield of oilseed radish shoots was observed, but there was an increase in sunflower and castor oil plant shoots when sugar cane filter cake was used. The average Ba transferred from roots to shoots was more than 89% for oilseed radish, 71% for castor oil plants, and 59% for sunflowers. Organic matter treatments were not efficient in reducing Ba availability due to soil liming.

Substratos e osmocote® na nutrição e desenvolvimento de mudas micropropagadas de abacaxizeiro cv. Vitória

O principal entrave da abacaxicultura brasileira é a ausência de mudas com qualidade e em quantidade. A obtenção de mudas livres de pragas e doenças é possível por meio da cultura de tecidos, no entanto essas mudas necessitam de um período de aclimatação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o efeito de diferentes substratos e doses de adubo de liberação lenta no desenvolvimento e nutrição de mudas micropropagadas de abacaxi durante a aclimatação. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, com três substratos (1- solo de superfície; 2- compostagem de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar e torta de filtro, e 3- um substrato composto (solo + areia + Plantmax®)) e 5 doses de Osmocote®: 0;10; 20; 25 e 30 g planta-1, com quatro blocos. O substrato que proporcionou maiores teores de N, P e K nas plantas foi o composto de bagaço de cana mais torta de filtro. O Osmocote® proporcionou incremento no comprimento da planta, no número de folhas e no peso da matéria seca da parte aérea. Dosagens elevadas de Osmocote® proporcionaram a redução do pH dos substratos e acúmulo de nutrientes, tornando-se tóxicos às mudas.

Produção de mudas de eucalipto com substratos para sistema de blocos

O trabalho objetivou determinar misturas de resíduos orgânicos para produção de mudas em sistema de blocos, que apresentassem agregação ao sistema radicular e possibilitassem bom desenvolvimento das mudas de eucalipto. Foram utilizados resíduos de fibra de coco (fibras finas - FCF, longas - FCL e mistas - FCM), casca de eucalipto (CE) e torta de filtro de usina açucareira (T), obtendo-se 10 misturas. Escolheram-se quatro misturas, por meio de blocos-testes de dimensões 11,5 x 2,3 cm. As misturas escolhidas para utilização na produção das mudas foram: FCM (40%) + T (60%); CE (60%) + FCM (40%); CE (40%) +T (60%); e CE (40%) + T (30%) + FCM (30%). Mudas de Eucalyptus urophylla foram produzidas por sementes em bandejas com dimensões de 40 x 60 x 7 cm, com capacidade para 96 mudas, semeadas diretamente nos blocos confeccionados com as misturas selecionadas, com e sem prensagem. Aos 90 dias após a semeadura, foi feita avaliação do diâmetro, altura, massa de matéria seca da parte aérea e do sistema radicular das mudas. Os substratos foram avaliados quanto à estabilidade do torrão e grau de agregação dos substratos às raízes. Foram realizadas análises de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn e Fe da parte aérea. Os substratos selecionados apresentaram boa agregação e estabilidade. Não foram observados problemas nutricionais nas mudas. Para a produção de mudas em blocos com prensagem, recomenda-se o substrato CE (60%) + FCM (40%) e para sem prensagem, as misturas CE (60%) + FCM (40%); CE (40%) + T(60%) e CE (40%) + T(30%) + FCM (30%).

Sugar Cane Cake and Mineral Fertilizers on Coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn.) Seedlings

High quantities of mineral fertilizers (MF) are required for good coconut seedling production, whose up dated recommendation is 232 grams per seedling. The objective of this work was to assess the substitution of the MF by organic fertilizer as sugar-cane filter cake (SCFC) on coconut seedlings in polybag. The SCFC is an organic residue from sugar-cane manufacturing composed of various chemical elements, as for instance: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. The experiment was carried out at the Itapirema Research Station, Goiana, Pernambuco State, Brazil, in a randomized complete block design, with factorial disposition 52, replicated three times, with six tall coconut seedlings per plot. The treatments were the combinations of five doses of MF (in g seedling-1): 46.25; 92.50; 138.75; 185.00 and control, using urea, simple superphosphate and potassium chloride at the proportion of 1:2:3, respectively, and five doses of SCFC (in kg polybag-1): 0.5; 1.0; 1.5; 2.0 and control. Eight months after young coconut seedlings replacement to the polybags the following parameters were measured: collar girth (CG), leaf area (LA), number of live leaves (NL) and plant height (PH). For leaf nutritional diagnosis and growing media chemical and physical analyses, samples were collected. There was significance for the two factors, individually, to all parameters. The trend analysis revealed linear, quadratic and cubic responses, according to the studied character. The mixture of 0.5 kg of SCFC polybag-1 plus 46.25 g of the MF was sufficient for obtaining seedlings of excellent quality and promoting a fertilizers economy around 80%. According to other results from this research, the number of seedlings per plot and the critical level of nutrients in the leaf of coconut seedlings should be reviewed.

Alterações em algumas propriedades de um latossolo degradado com uso de lodo de esgoto e resíduos orgânicos

A recuperação de áreas muito impactadas, como as oriundas da construção de hidrelétricas, é um processo lento e, usualmente, requer a adição de resíduos orgânicos, como fonte de matéria orgânica, e de nutrientes, como condicionador das propriedades do solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o efeito da adição de lodo de esgoto e resíduos orgânicos (maravalha e torta de filtro de cana-de-açúcar) sobre o crescimento de duas espécies arbóreas de Cerrado na recuperação de um subsolo de uma área degradada pela construção da Usina Hidrelétrica de Ilha Solteira, localizada em Selvíria - MS. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação em delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, com oito tratamentos, seis repetições e uma planta por repetição, para cada planta-teste. Cada repetição (saco plástico) teve 3,3 L e as proporções em volume da mistura de cada resíduo foram de: 30 % de lodo de esgoto, 20 % de torta de filtro e 10 % de maravalha de madeira. Foram mensuradas a fertilidade, a micorrização, a atividade microbiana (C-CO2 liberado) do subsolo, a massa do sistema radicular e parte aérea e a altura de plantas de duas espécies nativas do Cerrado [monjoleiro (Acacia polyphylla DC.) e jatobá-do-Cerrado (Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart)]. Os tratamentos com lodo de esgoto proporcionaram maior atividade microbiana no substrato e maior crescimento para as duas espécies arbóreas. A presença do lodo de esgoto promoveu melhora na fertilidade do subsolo, com aumento dos teores de matéria orgânica, P, K, Ca e Mg. A matéria orgânica e o P tiveram seus teores elevados nos tratamentos com mistura de lodo de esgoto e demais resíduos. Os resultados permitem concluir que as misturas contendo lodo associado a resíduos promoveram melhores incrementos na qualidade do subsolo, com perspectivas de sua recuperação.

Outplanting performace of eucalyptus clonal cuttings produced in different containers and substrates

The objective of this work was to evaluate the outplanting growth of Eucalyptus grandis e E. saligna clones, produced by cuttings in tubes (50cm³) and in pressed blocks (40x60x07cm) - 175 cm³/ seedlings, with different substrates (BT - sugarcane bagasse+sugarcane filter cake; AR - carbonized rice hull + eucalyptus bark; TF - peat). The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design, in a 2x7 factorial (2 clones and 7 treatments), with four replicates with 25 plants. Survival was evaluated two months later. Plant growth was monitored through height and ground level diameter at 20, 40, 60, 120 and 180 days after outplanting. To evaluate the effect of the containers on stem and root biomass in both clones, 180 days after outplanting, the cuttings grown in BT substrate with fertilizer were selected. One plant per plot of each clone, grown in tubes and in pressed blocks was selected. The E. grandis and E. saligna cuttings grown in pressed blocks with sugarcane bagasse+sugarcane filter cake presented greater height and diameter after out planting. Both clones presented larger root, bark, log and branch biomass production in plants produced in the block system. Cuttings of E. saligna grown in pressed blocks showed 80% most wood biomass 180 days after outplanting, compared to that grown in tubes. In E. grandis, the differences in diameter and height, in function of the cutting production system, decreased along time, while in E. saligna these differences increased along the evaluation period.

Immobilization and mineralization of nitrogen in a saline and alkaline soil during microbial use of sugarcane filter cake amended with glucose

A 42-day incubation was conducted to study the effect of glucose and ammonium addition adjusted to a C/N ratio of 12.5 on sugarcane filter cake decomposition and on the release of inorganic N from microbial residues formed initially. The CO2 evolved increased in comparison with the non-amended control from 35% of the added C with pure +5 mg g−1 soil filter cake amendment to 41% with +5 mg g−1 soil filter cake +2.5 mg g−1 soil glucose amendment to 48% with 5 mg g−1 soil filter cake +5 mg g−1 soil glucose amendment. The different amendments increased microbial biomass C and microbial biomass N within 6 h and such an increase persisted. The fungal cell-membrane component ergosterol initially showed a disproportionate increase in relation to microbial biomass C, which completely disappeared by the end of the incubation. The cellulase activity showed a 5-fold increase after filter cake addition, which was not further increased by the additional glucose amendment. The cellulase activity showed an exponential decline to values around 4% of the initial value in all treatments. The amount of inorganic N immobilized from day 0 to day 14 increased with increasing amount of C added, in contrast to the control treatment. After day 14, the immobilized N was re-mineralized at rates between 1.3 and 1.5 µg N g−1 soil d−1 in the treatments being more than twice as high as in the control treatment. This means that the re-mineralization rate is independent of the actual size of the microbial residues pool and also independent of the size of the soil microbial biomass.

Soil Chemical Properties and Nutrient Uptake of Cocoa as Affected by Application of Different Organic Matters and Phosphate Fertilizers

Effort repair of land quality better be done by simultan namely with application of organic matters and inorganic fertilization. The objective of this research is to study the effect of varied organic matters source and phosphate fertilizers on the chemicals soil characteristic and cocoa nutrient uptake. The experiment was laid experimentally in split-plot design and environmentally in randomized complete block design. The main plot was source of P consisted of, control, SP 36 and rock phosphate in dosage of 200 mg P2O5 per kg of air dry soil. Source of organic matter as sub-plot consisted of control (no organic matter), cow dung, cocoa pod husk compost and sugar cane filter cake, each in dosage of 2.5 and 5.0%. Result of this experiment showed application of cow dung, cocoa pod husk compost and sugar cane filter cake increased content of C, N, Ca exchangeable, Fe available, and pH in soil, and SP 36 increased availability of P in soil. Application of sugar cane filter cake increased N, K, Ca, Mg, and SO4 uptake but did not increase Cl uptake, application of cow dung in dosage 5% increased N, K, and Cl uptake and cocoa pod husk compost dosage 5% increased N and K uptake of cocoa. SP 36 increased Mg uptake of cocoa but rock phosphate did not increase it. They were not interaction between organic matters and phosphate fertilizers to nutrient uptake of cocoa. Nutrient soil content as affected by organic matters correlated with nutrient uptake of cocoa.Key words : soil chemical properties, nutrient uptake, cocoa, organic matter, phosphate fertlizers.

Availability of Phosphorous from Soil and Rock Phosphate as Affected byApplication of Different Organic Matters

Phosphorus (P) is an important nutrient and often has problem both in its availability in soil and in its supply, therefore direct application of rock phosphate is a prospective alternative. The objective of this research is to study the effect of varied organic matter source on the availability of phosphate derived from soil and rock phosphate. The experiment was laid experimentally in splitplot design and environmentally in randomized complete block design. The main plot was source of P consisted of, control, SP-36 and rock phosphate in dosage of 200 mg P2O5 per kg of air dry soil. Source of organic matter as sub-plot consisted of control (no organic matter), cow dung, cocoa pod husk compost and sugar cane filter cake, each in dosage of 2.5 and 5.0%. Result of this experiment showed that both P and organic matter application affected soil P availability. Application of cow dung and filter cake increased the soil P availability but did not increase the rock phosphate solubility. On the other hand, application of cocoa pod husk did not increase neither soil P availability nor rock phosphate solubility. Filter cake produced higher soil P availability, whereas cocoa pod husk compost produced the lowest which was similar to control (no organic matter). Application of organic matter tended to increase soil pH, exchangeable Ca and available Fe. Changes of available Fe positively correlated with available P. Key words : availability of phosphorus, rock phosphate, organic matter

Soil‐microbial response to sugarcane filter cake and biogenic waste compost

AbstractAn incubation experiment was carried out to examine the N‐immobilizing effect of sugarcane filter cake (C : N = 12.4) and to prove whether mixing it with compost (C : N = 10.5) has any synergistic effects on C and N mineralization after incorporation into the soil. Approximately 19% of the compost‐C added and 37% of the filter cake–C were evolved as CO2, assuming that the amendments had no effects on the decomposition of soil organic C. However, only 28% of the added filter cake was lost according to the total‐C and δ13C values. Filter cake and compost contained initially significant concentrations of inorganic N, which was nearly completely immobilized between day 7 and 14 of the incubation in most cases. After day 14, N remineralization occurred at an average rate of 0.73 µg N (g soil)–1 d–1 in most amendment treatments, paralleling the N mineralization rate of the nonamended control without significant difference. No significant net N mineralization from the amendment N occurred in any of the amendment treatments in comparison to the control. The addition of compost and filter cake resulted in a linear increase in microbial biomass C with increasing amounts of C added. This increase was not affected by differences in substrate quality, especially the three times larger content of K2SO4‐extractable organic C in the sugarcane filter cake. In most amendment treatments, microbial biomass C and biomass N increased until the end of the incubation. No synergistic effects could be observed in the mixture treatments of compost and sugarcane filter cake.

Microbial use of organic amendments in saline soils monitored by changes in the 13C/ 12C ratio

An incubation experiment was carried out to investigate whether salinity at high pH has negative effects on microbial substrate use, i.e. the mineralization of the amendment to CO 2 and inorganic N and the incorporation of amendment C into microbial biomass C. In order to exploit natural differences in the 13C/ 12C ratio, substrate from two C 4 plants, i.e. highly decomposed and N-rich sugarcane filter cake and less decomposed N-poor maize leaf straw, were added to two alkaline Pakistani soils differing in salinity, which had previously been cultivated with C 3 plants. In soil 1, the additional CO 2 evolution was equivalent to 65% of the added amount in the maize straw treatment and to 35% in the filter cake treatment. In the more saline soil 2, the respective figures were 56% and 32%. The maize straw amendment led to an identical immobilization of approximately 48 μg N g −1 soil over the 56-day incubation in both soils compared with the control soils. In the filter cake treatment, the amount of inorganic N immobilized was 8.5 μg N g −1 higher in soil 1 than in soil 2 compared with the control soils. In the control treatment, the content of microbial biomass C 3-C in soil 1 was twice that in soil 2 throughout the incubation. This fraction declined by about 30% during the incubation in both soils. The two amendments replaced initially similar absolute amounts of the autochthonous microbial biomass C, i.e. 50% of the original microbial biomass C in soil 1 and almost 90% in soil 2. The highest contents of microbial biomass C 4-C were equivalent to 7% (filter cake) and 11% (maize straw) of the added C. In soil 2, the corresponding values were 14% lower. Increasing salinity had no direct negative effects on microbial substrate use in the present two soils. Consequently, the differences in soil microbial biomass contents are most likely caused indirectly by salinity-induced reduction in plant growth rather than directly by negative effects of salinity on soil microorganisms.

Impact of Organic Fertilizers with and without Chemical Fertilizers on Soil Chemical Properties and the Establishment of Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria in the Rhizosphere

Effects of organic fertilizers with and without the application of chemical fertilizers for seven years as part of a wheat-pearl millet cropping sequence on soil chemical properties and the establishment of nitrogen fixing bacteria in the rhizosphere were examined. The application of farmyard manure, poultry manure, and sugarcane filter cake alone or in combination with chemical fertilizers improved the soil organic C, total N, P, and K status. Larger populations of Azotobacter chroococcum and Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii in the rhizosphere of wheat and Egyptian clover respectively, were maintained in soils receiving organic fertilizers either alone or in combination with chemical fertilizers than in soils given chemical fertilizers alone.

Influence of vermicomposting on solid wastes decomposition kinetics in soils

The effect of vermicomposting on kinetic behavior of the products is not well recognized. An incubation study was conducted to investigate C mineralization kinetics of cow manure, sugarcane filter cake and their vermicomposts. Two different soils were treated with the four solid wastes at a rate of 0.5 g solid waste C per kg soil with three replications. Soils were incubated for 56 d. The CO(2)-C respired was monitored periodically and a first-order kinetic model was used to calculate the kinetic parameters of C mineralization. Results indicated that the percentage of C mineralized during the incubation period ranged from 31.9% to 41.8% and 55.9% to 73.4% in the calcareous and acidic soils, respectively. The potentially mineralizable C (C(0)) of the treated soils was lower in the solid waste composts compared to their starting materials. Overall, it can be concluded that decomposable fraction of solid wastes has decreased due to vermicomposting.

Chemical Characteristics Of Several Vermicomposts In México

Wastes were collected (cocoa husk, sugarcane bagasse, sugarcane filter cake and bovine manure) in Tabasco State, México. These were vermicomposted, mixed and pretreated for temperature stabilization. The wastes were then vermicomposted with earthworms of the specie Eisenia andrei. Data were collected 60 days after the earthworms were inoculated. The vermicompost obtained was also chemically characterized. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the survival of earthworms (Sv) in several wastes and to assess the capacity of the earthworms to produce vermicompost (Vp). Waste with high C/N ratio had lower Vp, although the Sv was not affected. The C/N ratio was closely associated with the quality of organic matter (OM); when wastes had high content of nitrogen compounds, the C/N ratio decreased. The integration of cocoa husk in the treatment improved Sv, while the mixture of filter cake and bovine manure (1:1) was the optimum treatment for Vp. Important changes concerning the chemical characteristics of the vermicompost due to the influence of earthworms were not observed.

Mudas de eucalipto produzidas a partir de miniestacas em diferentes recipientes e substratos

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade de mudas de híbridos naturais de Eucalyptus grandis e E. saligna produzidas a partir de miniestacas, em tubetes de 50 cc e em blocos prensados com as dimensões de 40 x 60 x 7cm. O experimento foi realizado em DIC, no fatorial 2 x 7 (2 clones e 7 tratamentos) com quatro repetições, no viveiro da Aracruz Celulose S.A., no período de julho a setembro de 2002. Foram analisadas as adequações dos substratos, casca de arroz carbonizada + casca de eucalipto (AR), bagaço de cana + torta de filtro (BT) e turfa, para produção de mudas nos dois tipos de recipientes. Foram feitas avaliações de diâmetro e altura das brotações, área foliar e massa seca da parte aérea. O substrato BT, quando em tubetes, não apresentou bom resultado, sendo o inverso observado quando se utilizou esse substrato em sistemas de blocos prensados. As mudas produzidas nesse sistema exibiram maior velocidade no crescimento.

Desempenho radicular de mudas de eucalipto produzidas em diferentes recipientes e substratos

O trabalho teve como objetivo verificar o desempenho, em sacolas, de clones de eucalipto, produzidos em diferentes recipientes e substratos, com ênfase na persistência das deformações radiculares originadas no viveiro e na produção de raízes. As mudas foram produzidas em tubetes (50 cm³) e em blocos prensados (40 x 60 x 7 cm - 16.800 cm³), sendo utilizados como substratos: casca de arroz carbonizada com casca de eucalipto, bagaço de cana com torta de filtro; e turfa. As mudas, com 90 dias, foram transplantadas para sacos plásticos (20 L), com solo da área de plantio. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2 x 7, constituído por dois clones (híbridos naturais de Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden e E. saligna Smith) e sete tratamentos, com variação de recipientes e substrato, com quatro repetições, constituídas por quatro plantas. Dois meses após o transplantio, as plantas foram avaliadas quanto ao crescimento em diâmetro ao nível do solo, altura da parte aérea, número de raízes emitidas, comprimento, área superficial e deformação do sistema radicular. As plantas originadas de mudas produzidas em blocos prensados apresentaram melhor desempenho nas avaliações realizadas em relação às dos tubetes. As deformações radiculares causadas por recipientes de paredes rígidas tendem a persistir após a fase de viveiro.

CRESCIMENTO DE MUDAS DE Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers. PLANTADAS EM UMA ÁREA DEGRADADA POR EXTRAÇÃO DE ARGILA

O objetivo deste trabalho foi testar o crescimento inicial de mudas de Sesbania virgata (Cav.) Pers. (sesbânia), plantadas em uma área degradada por extração de argila, em covas fertilizadas. As mudas foram inoculadas com rizóbio e fungos micorrízicos arbusculares. O experimento foi instalado em blocos ao acaso, com 4 repetições, sendo as parcelas constituídas por 16 plantas. Os tratamentos foram: 1. testemunha; 2. “ferkal” (0,6 kg cova-1); 3. composto de lixo urbano (0,8 kg cova-1); 4. torta de filtro (0,6 kg cova-1); e 5. superfosfato simples (0,1 kg cova-1). Nos 3 primeiros meses, foram avaliados os percentuais de sobrevivência e, bimestralmente, o crescimento em altura e diâmetro ao nível do solo, até o 10o mês após o plantio. Nessa ocasião, também foram determinados os teores foliares de N, P e K e a produção de fitomassa, não tendo sido constatada diferença significativa entre os tratamentos para essas variáveis. Não foi verificado efeito da fertilização sobre o crescimento e a produção de fitomassa de sesbânia, nas condições deste estudo. O comprimento e área superficial de raízes finas (diâmetros maiores e menores que 0,3 mm) foram avaliados aos 14 meses, tendo-se constatado diferenças significativas. Verificou-se maior comprimento e superfície de raízes mais finas em comparação àquelas maiores que 0,3 mm de diâmetro. O composto de lixo urbano e a torta de filtro estimularam a produção de raízes.