Use of treated domestic sewage water in the production of ratoon sorghum crop

Abstract

To evaluate the use of treated domestic wastewater in the ratoon (cutback) sorghum production, a study was carried out in the community area of the Milagres Agrarian Reform Settlement Project, in Apodi-RN, from March to June 2015. The treatments were delimited in randomized blocks with six replications, combining two factors in a 3 x 3 split plot scheme: three types of irrigation water: (A1 - deep well water (EC = 0.10 dS m ), A2 – treated sewage, A3 – treated sewage + deep well water) and three sorghum cultivars (IPA 2502, BRS 506 and BRS Ponta Negra). Biometric growth characteristics (plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, total and unit leaf area) and production (final stand, total total fresh and stem biomass, and total dry biomass) were evaluated. It was observed that there was significant interaction only for unit leaf area. There was a significant effect of irrigation water for stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, for total yield and stem. Regarding the cultivars, there was also a significant effect of the cultivar on plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, total leaf area, total yield and stem production.