Effect of vermistabilized sewage sludge on the germination and growth of Schinus molle and Cedrela odorata

Resumen

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of vermicompost derived from biosolids produced from wastewater treatment (named here as “biosolid humus”) on the germination and growth of the forest species Schinus molle and Cedrela odorata under greenhouse conditions. We applied four treatments, consisting of a mixture of biosolid humus and substrate, in proportions of 0 (control), 5, 10, and 20%. There were no significant differences in the species’ germination, which is considered to be the production of the first pair of true leaves. The germination percentage value tended to be higher for S. molle than C. odorata species under the 5 and 10% treatments. This result indicates that biosolid humus favors the germination process. The effect of biosolid humus resulted in more significant growth of C. odorata than S. molle. Both species showed differential stem length and number of leaves responses to the treatment using 20% biosolid humus, significantly lower for C. odorata. However, the opposite was true for germination parameters, resulting in a stimulating effect on S. mole. This study indicates that biosolid humus affects the germination and growth of the two species. Before incorporating this fertilization into regular seedling and reforestation processes, further studies are necessary to determine the optimal dosage levels of biosolid humus and prevent potential salinity effects.