This research was aimed at determining the effects of black tea industry residues as substrate on germination and growth of lettuce, tomato and cucumber. For such, germination and growth assays were carried out using, respectively, aqueous extract and different types of residues. In the germination assays, seeds were placed in trays on filter paper humidified with water or aqueous extract in the concentrations of 1, 5 and 10%. In the growth assays, seeds were placed in trays containing: 1. vermiculite; 2. decomposed residue plus vermiculite; 3. decomposed residue and 4. crude residue washed plus vermiculite. The decomposed residue was obtained from crude residue decomposition process and the crude residue washed from crude residue washing in water. For the assays were adopted the randomized completely experimental design with four treatments and four repetitions of thirty seeds each. The results indicated that aqueous extract inhibited the seeds germination and seedlings growth of lettuce, tomato and cucumber. The crude residue washed plus vermiculite also reduced the seedlings emergency. On the other hand, the decomposed residue and decomposed residue plus vermiculite stimulated the seedlings emergency and growth. The decomposition process possibilited the use of black tea industry residue as substrate for seedlings growing of vegetable crops.
Camellia sinensis; germination; emergency; growth; horticulture
