Escória siderúrgica e calcário no cultivo de cana-de-açúcar em solo da Zona da Mata de Pernambuco

Abstract

Several types of slag accumulate in industry and become an environmental problem. Its final disposal as fertilizer in agriculture is a practice that can supply plant nutrients and to correct soil acidity while minimizing the environmental impact. However, there is the need for evaluating the risks of slag addition contaminate soils with heavy metals. The work was carried out to study the effects of the final disposal of a steel slag compared to lime on the supply of silicon, macronutrients (Ca, Mg and P), micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Ni) and heavy metals (Cd and Pb) to sugarcane plants grown on an Ultisol. The steel slag and lime doses (0; 0.5; 1.0; 2.0, and 4.0 t ha-1) were applied to the sugarcane at the planting (cultivar RB92579). The results showed that the steel slag increased the concentrations of Ca, Mg, P, Si, Fe, Mn and Zn in soil and reduced the potential acidity. There was an increase in the foliar área and stems height as well as in the Zn concentration in the leaves. Lime promoted increase of pH, and decrease in the concentrations of Al and incrase in the Na concentrations. Nickel,Cd, and Pb were not detected neither in the soil nor in the plant. This indicates that the steel slag tested presented no soil contamination with these heavy metals.