The effects of urban waste compost (UWC) on the chemical properties of a Rhodic Eutrustox and on the nutrition of gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus) were studied. The gladiolus plants variety Red Beauty were field cultivated from August 1999 to January 2000. The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design with six treatments and four replications. The treatments were: T1 - mineral fertilizer (MF); T2 - 10.0 t ha-1 of UWC; T3 - 20.0 t ha-1 of UWC; T4 - MF + 15.0 t ha-1 of UWC; T5 - MF + 10.0 t ha-1 of UWC and T6 - MF + 5.0 t ha-1 of UWC, applied at planting. The evaluated plant traits were: plant height and diameter; number of flowers; inflorescence dry matter; diameter of new bulbs; new bulbs and bulblets dry matter; nutrient content in plant and soil. The use of CLU as organic fertilizer promoted a slight increment of pH CaCl2 and maintained appropriate levels of P and K in the soil. Its application combined with mineral P and K fertilizer increased soil P and K content. The UWC dose of 10.0 t ha-1 created adequate conditions for plant nutrition, development, and yield of the gladiolus crop.
organic fertilization; Gladiolus grandiflorus; bulbs; flowers
