Sewage sludge as substrate for Senna siamea Lam seedlings production

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using the sewage sludge as substrate component for seedlings production of Senna siamea Lam. Different proportions of sewage sludge were used: 0% (T1), 25% (T2), 50% (T3), 75% (T4) and a mixture of 25% of sludge, 25% of coconut powder (T5). For the experiment, a completely randomized design was employed, with 5 treatments and 5 replications, totaling 25 units with 16 seedlings per unit. The sludge was disinfected by solarization one month before sowing. The dry matter content in the aerial portion of the seedlings was assessed and chemical analysis of the substrate was performed three months after sowing. Among the treatments using sludge, T5 concentration was best for plant growth followed by T4 (75%) and T3 (50%) concentrations. All seedlings treated with sludge developed better than the control plant. It is concluded that use of sewage sludge for seedlings is feasible and promising.