Sewage sludge composted in the coloring and development of Bermuda grass

Abstract

‘Barazur’ or DiscoveryTM (Cynodon dactylon) is a new variety of Bermuda grass that has slow vertical growth and a bluish-green colour, and the use of sewage sludge in implantation of this species may be an alternative for its sustainable cultivation, without need for chemical fertilizers. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the influence of sewage sludge compound on colour and development of Bermuda grass DiscoveryTM. The experiment was conducted in the field with sod implanted in black plastic containers (volume 8.46 L) filled with soil + sand (1:1) and added different dosages of sludge compost, being: 0 g L -1 (control), 30 g L-1, 60 g L-1 and 120 g L-1. Digital image analysis, fresh and dry leaf mass, Nitrogen leaf and Nitrogen leaf accumulation were evaluated. It was observed that the sewage sludge influenced on turfgrass colouring and development, where 30 g L-1 showed excellent results for colouring with less mass production and N accumulation than the highest dose, showing that this treatment is sufficient for lawn development, without the need of using higher concentrations of compound. It is concluded that the use of composted sewage sludge at a dose of 30 g L-1 is recommended for use in implantation of Bermuda grass DiscoveryTM.