Substrate Production for Lettuce Seedlings Through Biomass Biodegradation of Sugarcane

• Published in: Chemical engineering transactions Vol. 65
• Main Authors: Ramari T. Oliveira Iacono, K.C. Da Silva, C. Silva, E. Paccola, E. Schmidt Filho, N. Ueda Yamaguchi, M. Aparecida Andreazzi, F. Gasparotto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: AIDIC Servizi S.r.l 01-06-2018
• ISSN: 2283-9216
• DOI: 10.3303/CET1865117

The objectives of this work were: to evaluate the physico-chemical properties in the composting process of the organic residues, filter cake and sugarcane bagasse, as well as to evaluate the time necessary for the organic compound to reach maturity, and to evaluate the performance of the different substrates in the germination of lettuce seeds. The temperature inside the pile, electrical conductivity (EC) and pH were evaluated in composting process. To evaluate the maturation of the compounds the stabilization of the temperature and EC values and the C / N ratio at the end of the process were analyzed. The data were analyzed in DIC (4x3). The treatments were: T0 - 100% FC (filter cake); T1 -100% sugarcane bagasse (SB); T2 - 50% FC and 50% SB; and T3 - 70% FC and 30% SB. For the production of the substrates from the organic compounds, the treatments were: S1 = 100% of the compound T0, S2 = 50% of T0 and 50% of the ashes of the boiler, S3 = 100% of T1, S4 = 50% of T1 and 50% of boiler ash, S5 = 100% of T2, S6 = 50% of T2 and 50% of boiler ash, S7 = 100% of T3, S8 = 50% of T3 and 50% of boiler ash, S9 = Commercial Substrate (Lupa®). The design was DIC (9x30). The percentage of germination of lettuce seeds in each of the substrates was evaluated weekly, until 30 days after sowing. At the end of each stage the data were submitted to analysis of variance and the means were compared by the Scott-Knott test, at the 5% level of significance. It was concluded that the compounds reached maturity at 90 days for treatments T0, T2, T3 and T4 and it is possible to formulate substrates for the making of lettuce seedlings from the residues of the sucroenergy sector evaluated.