INFLUENCE OF ASH DEPOSITION ON MICROBIOTA OF AGRICULTURAL LAND

Boiler ash from ethanol plants can be used as an agricultural fertilizer, because it is considered a source of nutrient and soil corrective, due to its alkalinity. The nutrients found in the soil are transformed and... [ view full abstract ]

Boiler ash from ethanol plants can be used as an agricultural fertilizer, because it is considered a source of nutrient and soil corrective, due to its alkalinity. The nutrients found in the soil are transformed and accumulated by microorganisms, favoring the development of the plants. The objective of this work was to investigate the influence of ash on the development of bacterial colonies found in the agricultural soil. The emergence of colonies of bacteria, cultivated in Petri dishes, in BDA culture medium (potato, dextrose, agar) was quantitatively evaluated. In the laboratory boiler ash was added to the soil and incubated for 15 days in colorless plastic bags, following the treatments of 0 g kg ^-1 soil; 10 g kg ^-1 soil, 20 g kg ^-1 soil and 30 g kg ^-1 soil, three replicates were performed for each treatment. The results showed that ash influenced positively the appearance of bacterial colonies for a period of seven days after incubation in the treatment of 20 g kg^-1 soil. The treatment of 10 g kg^-1 did not show significant alteration and the 30 g kg^-1 alone promoted an increase in the appearance of bacterial colonies upon reaching 15 days of soil incubation. The results showed that the boiler ash of the ethanol industry can positively influence the development of the soil microbiota due to the nutrients present in this by-product. The treatments tested in the incubated soil showed that the addition of low quantities of boiler ash in the agricultural soil did not influence the reproduction of the bacterial colonies. However the 40 ton dose Ha^-1 of ash applied to the incubated soil promoted the greater development of colonies of active bacteria when compared to the control soil. Therefore an alternative of destination of this boiler residue can be its use as fertilizer of the agricultural soil. Since properly employed according to agronomic recommendations not to alter the natural development of colonies of bacteria found in the soil.

 Keywords: Bacteria. Bagasse. Cane sugar. Microorganism