Chemical Characteristics of the Use of Gelatine Sludge in Soil Cultivated as Fertilizer

Various types of industrial wastes have been tested as a source of pasture fertilization. However, little is known about the sludge of the gelatine industry. This study aimed at testing gelatine sludge as a soil amendment by assessing the chemical modifications caused in the soil profile. The experiment was conducted in Araguaina, Tocantins, using a typical Quartzipsamment soil (Entisols) from February to November 2013. Four doses were tested in experimental plots- 0, 50, 150 and 300 m3 ha-1. Soil sampling was performed at four depths- 0-5, 5-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm with collection at the beginning and the end of the experimental period. Five grazing simulations of 21 days of rest of Piatã grass were testes. The gelatine sludge was able to raise the contents of calcium, phosphorus, and sum of bases only in the superficial layer (0-5 cm) and did not alter the pH, potential acidity and saturation by base, indicating that there was no use restriction due to salinization or acidification. Therefore, it was concluded that the maximum tested dose (300 m3 ha-1) improved the chemical characteristics of the soil, especially in the 0-5-cm layer.