USE OF MIXED TANNERY SLUDGE TO COFFEE CHAFF IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOMATO SEEDLINGS

Abstract

Industrial and agricultural residues can contain considerable amounts of nutrients in plants, with a view to economic benefits, but above all, in favor of the environment. Tannery sludge is a waste that has significant levels of nutrients, however, it is potentially harmful to the environment. The coffee chaff is another waste that can be optimized for use. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effects of substrates, containing different proportions of tannery sludge and coffee chaff, on tomato seedling development variables. The research was conducted in a randomized block design and involved the production of 480 seedlings. Thinning was carried out at 16 days after sowing, counting the height of the seedlings and the number of leaves every 5 days. At 26 days, the other evaluations were made: root length and canopy and neck diameter. The increasing addition of tannery sludge to the substrates promoted a decrease in the average of the evaluated variables, suggesting a negative interference of sodium levels. At first, it is assumed that the coffee chaff may not be a good aggregate to tannery sludge, as a substrate for plants. However, most of the waste formulations, promoted a satisfactory development of tomato seedlings, when compared to the use of the commercial substrate. Thus, the mixture of tannery sludge with coffee chaff proved to be beneficial, agronomically, in the production of tomato seedlings.