MANGABEIRA SEEDLING MINERAL NUTRITION CULTIVATED IN SUBSTRATES CONTAINING COCONUT FIBER AND FERTILIZED WITH PHOSPHORUS

Abstract

This research had as objective to evaluate the substrate components effect in different mixtures fertilized with phosphorus on mangabeira seedlings mineral composition. This experiment was carried out in the Centro de Ciências Agrárias, UFPB, situated in the municipal district of Areia-PB. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with 17 treatments and three replications, being utilized four seedling per experimental unit. The treatments, composed by coconut fiber with concentrations from 0 to 40 %, bovine manure from 0 to 25.5 %, soil from 25 to 70 %, 15 % of sand and triple super phosphate, with doses of 0.0, 5.5 and 11.0 g dm-3, were conditioned in black polyethylene bags. The macronutrients and copper contents from root system and aerial part of the seedlings were evaluated 150 days after seeds germination. The addition of bovine manure and triple super phosphate increased the macronutrients content in the root system and in the aerial part of mangabeira seedlings. The soil and coconut fiber addition resulted in contrary effects. Copper content in the aerial part of the seedlings increased with the increment of soil and coconut fiber concentration in the substrate. The substrate containing 24 % of manure, 51 % of soil, 10 % of coconut fiber, 15 % of sand and 8 g dm-3 of triple super phosphate is recommended to obtain the bigger macronutrients and copper contents in the root system and in mangabeira seedlings aerial part.