Chemical and technological attributes of sugarcane as functions of organomineral fertilizer based on filter cake or sewage sludge as organic matter sources.

Sugarcane is one of the main alternative sources of biomass for the biofuel sector, and its large-scale production has considerable environmental impact. Organomineral fertilizers formulated with potential environmental contaminants, such as filter cake and sewage sludge, positively influence plant growth and development. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the chemical and physical characteristics of sugarcane fertilized with pelletized organomineral fertilizers based on filter cake or sewage sludge. Eight field treatments were applied, based on three organomineral fertilizer compositions (50%, 100%, and 150%) associated with two organic matter (OM) sources (filter cake or sewage sludge), in addition to a control with 100% mineral fertilizer application, and a no-fertilization control (0%). Sugarcane attributes were evaluated during two consecutive harvests. The weights of stalks per hectare (ton ha-1), sugarcane productivity (ton ha-1), quantity of sugar per hectare (TSH, ton ha-1), and physicochemical properties of sugarcane juice (pol [%], Brix [%], purity [%], and fiber [%]) were evaluated. There were no significant differences in the attributes between OM sources or organomineral fertilization treatments and the exclusive mineral fertilization. The organomineral fertilizer application rate recommended for maximum quantitative and qualitative sugarcane in the first sugarcane harvest was between 2 and 9% above the regular recommendation for mineral fertilizer, regardless of the OM source. In the second harvest, the sewage sludge source increased total sugar and sugarcane per hectare by 4.68 and 4.19%, respectively, compared to the sugarcane filter cake source. Sewage sludge and sugarcane filter cake are viable alternatives for organomineral composition and could improve economic returns and minimize negative environmental impacts in sugarcane cultivation systems.

Production and composition of Lavender oil: nutritional management and cultivation systems / Producción y composición de aceite de lavanda: manejo nutricional y sistemas de cultivo

The objective was to evaluate the production and composition of lavender essential oil, simultaneously at open field and greenhouse, in spring-summer season, under different types of fertilization. Each cultivation system was considered an experiment (field and greenhouse), and in both, the experimental design used was randomized blocks, with five treatments, being fertilization with nutrient source -100% mineral (100%M), 100% organic (100%O), 100% organomineral (100%OM), 50% organomineral (50%OM), and without fertilization (control), and three repetitions. Better performance and productivity of Lavandula dentatais related to respectively 100% OM and 50% OM fertilization in the field and greenhouse. The essential oil content does not differ between cultivation systems and kind of fertilizers, and the majorities compounds were 1.8-cineol, fenchone and camphor.

El objetivo fue evaluar la producción y composición del aceite esencial de lavanda a campo abierto e invernadero simultáneamente, en la temporada primavera-verano, bajo diferentes tipos de fertilización. Cada sistema de cultivo fue considerado un experimento (campo e invernadero), y en ambos, el diseño experimental utilizado fue bloques al azar, con cinco tratamientos, siendo la fertilización con fuente de nutrientes 100% mineral (100% M), 100% orgánico (100% O), 100% organomineral (100% MO), 50% organomineral (50% MO), y sin fertilización (control), y tres repeticiones. Un mejor rendimiento y productividad de Lavandula dentata está relacionado con una fertilización de 100%OM y 50% OM en el campo y en invernadero, respectivamente. El contenido de aceite esencial no difiere entre sistemas de cultivo y tipo de fertilizante, y los compuestos mayoritarios fueron 1.8-cineol, fenchone y alcanfor.