Physical attributes of a Typic Acrustox degraded soil in response to the application of biosolids

Abstract

Sewage sludge, waste with high organic matter content and rapid decomposition, combined with sawdust, rich in carbon and slow decomposition, are suitable components for the study of degraded areas. In order to test the interactions of these residues in the recovery of a degraded soil in Selvíria – MS, four doses of sewage sludge (0, 8, 16 and 24 t ha^-1, dry basis) and four doses of sawdust particles (0, 8, 16 and 24 t ha^-1, dry basis) were tested in February 2009, in a completely randomized block design (4 x 4 + 1 factorial), with four replications. As indicators of the effects, the penetration resistance, gravimetric moisture and soil bulk density (0-0.10, 0.10-0.20; 0.20-0.40 m) were used. Significant effects were observed for the factors (sewage sludge and sawdust) and control treatment for penetration resistance in the soil depths studied, for gravimetric moisture in the intermediate layer and for the soil density in the surface and intermediate layers. Considering the type of soil and the short period of study (24 months), the use of organic wastes presented improvement in physical properties of soil in relation to control. However, it is necessary to study them for a longer period.