The use of non-renewable sources for the production of mineral fertilizers causes major impacts to the environment. The reduction of these impacts favors the increasing search for new organic nutrient sources for crops. This study aimed to evaluate the use of residue from meat industry (RMI) as an alternative source of nutrients for sunflower and maize crops. Five doses of RMI (0 m³ ha-1, 25 m³ ha-1, 50 m³ ha-1, 75 m³ ha-1 and 100 m³ ha-1) and one treatment with mineral fertilization were tested. The RMI provided an increase in grain yield for the sunflower and maize crops. In the maize crop, the highest yield was obtained with the dose of 87 m³ ha-1 of RMI, equivalent to 92% of the yield obtained with mineral fertilization. In the sunflower crop, doses equal to or higher than 20 m³ ha-1 of RMI provided equal or higher yields than those obtained with mineral fertilization. The RMI presented agricultural potential for use as an organic fertilizer and can partially or totally replace chemical fertilization.
Zea mays L.; Helianthus annuus L.; organic fertilization
