Fertigation with vinasse in sugarcane crop: Effect on the soil and on productivity

The ethanol industry in Brazil is booming, resulting in the production of byproducts, among them the vinasse. The industry have used vinasse in agricultural areas through fertigation. The main objective of this study was to analyse the effect of application of vinasse in some chemical attributes of soil and productivity of sugarcane, for a period of three years. The experiment was conducted in soil classified as Quartzipsamment located in Campo Grande, MS, in the period from November 2008 to September 2011. The experimental plots were of 4.2 x 10.0 m (42 m(2)), and the treatments consisted of vinasse doses (0, 100, 200, 400 and 800 m(3) ha(-1)), distributed in the field in random blocks design with four replications. Vinasse was retrieved from alcohol plant in the region and applied to seedlings of sugarcane (1st, 2nd and 3rd ratoon). The results showed that the vimasse used provided an increase in productivity of sugarcane and increases in pH and exchangeable potassium of soil levels, up to 0.4 m depth.