Effect of vinasse application on physical and microbiological soil attributes in a sugarcane area in the northern forest zone of the state of Pernambuco
Vinasse, Sugarcane, Soil physics, fertirrigation, Saccharum
Vinasse is the residue of molasses fermentation for the production of alcohol in sugar cane mills. The proper use and treatment of vinasse has received increasing attention. Among the alternatives considered for the reuse of vinasse, sugarcane irrigation is the most common solution. However, little research has been carried out considering the impact on soil physics and soil microbial diversity by long-term application of vinasse in agricultural areas. In this sense, to evaluate the cumulative impact resulting from the application of vinasse in the long term, different treatments were evaluated: (1) soils not irrigated with vinasse and not exploited with sugarcane, (2) soil explored with sugarcane sugar and irrigated with vinasse, (3) land exploited with sugarcane and never irrigated with vinasse. Soil samples were collected in the different treatments, in the layers of 0-10cm, 10-20cm and 20-30cm and determined the organic matter, density, porosity, granulometric analysis, as well as the diversity of the microbial community. The results made it possible to verify if there are significant alterations in the physical properties and microbial community of the soils, if there is an ecological risk, possible benefits in the practice of fertirrigation with vinasse, and if periodic monitoring of soil quality parameters is required to guarantee safe and efficient irrigation long term.