Soybean Response to Different Levels of Recycled Phosphorus from Cattle Bone Meal

Abstract

Food demand will increase due to population growth, and, consequently, crop production will require different sources of essential nutrients such as phosphorus (P) to fulfill that demand. Phosphorus usually comes from the mining industries which are highly contaminant, and to reduce its consumption, alternative P sources like cattle bone meal (BM) are being used. However, the correct use of BM depends on its physical and chemical characteristics, soil properties, plant species, and environmental factors. Thus, we evaluated soybean response to different levels of recycled phosphorus from cattle bone meal. A complete randomized block design was performed, and each block contained four treatments: neutralized sulfuric bone meal hydrolysate (NSBMH) diluted 10 (high), 50 (middle), and 100 (low) times, plus a negative control (unfertilized). After 120 days, soybean plants under the high level of NSBMH showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in trifoliar leave number, foliar area, plant fresh and dried masses, plant height, and chlorophyll pigment content. We concluded that phosphorus recycling from cattle bone meal enhances soybean agronomical characteristics and has a great potential to reduce phosphorus dependency from mineral sources and to promote the recycling of anthropogenic waste for phosphorus obtainment.