The objective of this work was to quantify the response of sugarcane to the replacement of phosphorus, applied as mineral fertilizer, by sewage sludge (SS). Sewage sludge was applied alone and in conjunction with mineral P fertilizer on a sugarcane crop in an Ultisol, SP83-2847 variety, distributed over seven treatments: 1 - control, without fertilization; 2 - mineral fertilization, based on the official recommendation; 3 - SS+0P; 4 - SS+45P; 5 - SS+90P; 6 - SS+135P; and 7 - SS+180P. Treatments 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 received 8.2 t ha-1 of SS (dry weight), enough to supply 60 kg ha-1 N, and the P fertilizer rates were equal to 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180 kg ha-1 P2O5. Sewage sludge and SS+P did not increase pH, soil organic matter, available P and soil electrical conductivity. An increasing value of available soil Cu, Fe and Zn and foliar Mn and Zn content was observed with sewage application. The SS+0P treatment resulted in a stalk yield corresponding to 71% of that obtained with mineral fertilization, and there were no observed alterations in recoverable total sugar (RTS) amounts.
biosolid; soil fertility; stalk production
