Qualidade de frutos de melancia produzidos com reúso de água de esgoto doméstico tratado

Abstract

Irregular precipitations and a huge evapotranspiration are characteristics of the Ceará state, which make the water a limiting factor for many activities such as irrigated agriculture. In order to minimize this problem, a strategy that has been investigated as a water source for agriculture purposes, is the reuse treated sewage from stabilization pond systems. The effluents from these systems usually present low Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and pathogens, and good nutrient contents (macro and micro-nutrients) that are important for crop development. This investigation aimed to evaluate the fruit samples quality irrigated with treated sewage, in two different irrigation methods (dripping and furrow) and four treatments: raw water with NPKS – T1, treated sewage with NPKS – T2, treated sewage – T3 and treated sewage with ½ NPKS – T4. The parameters analyzed were: coliforms, Salmonella sp., soluble solids, pH, titrated acidity and flavor. It was neither detected the presence of fecal coliforms nor Salmonella sp. The soluble solids content and titrated acidity were not influenced by the treatments or irrigations methods. The fruits pH varied from 4.9 to 5.9. Results also indicated that the samples of the treatment T2 did not show a different flavor, at 5% significance level, in comparison with the control treatment samples (T1).