Level and forms of application of sewage sludge in the nutrition and growth of castor bean

Abstract This research had the purpose of evaluating the effect of forms of application and levels of sewage sludge in the production of dry matter and the macronutrient accumulation in castor bean plants. The experimental study was performed in a 5 x 5 factorial randomized block design, with four replications. The sewage sludge obtained from the Station of Treatment of Sewage ETE-SABESP- in Jundiaí, São Paulo was applied on the surface, incorporated to 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the soil volume during a period of 50 days of crep development in amounts corresponding to 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 Mg ha-1, (wet-basis. The experimental unit was made up of pots with 4dm3 of sample of a Nitossol Red eutrophic. For the production of dry matter and the accumulation of N, K, Ca, Mg and S in castor bean plant, there was no significant interaction between added levels of sewage sludge and application forms. The application forms significantly increased the macronutrients accumulation and the production of dry matter in castor bean plants.