Irrigation frequency and use of superabsorbent polymer in guava rootstock production

Authors

  • Agda Malany Forte de Oliveira Graduate Program in Agricultural Sciences, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1828-1088
  • Vander Mendonça Department of Agronomic and Forestry Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5682-5341
  • Patrycia Elen Costa Amorim Graduate Program in Plant Science, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8172-083X
  • Maria Cecília Costa Godeiro Graduate Program in Soil and Water Management, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3316-9958
  • Raires Irlenizia da Silva Freire Graduate Program in Plant Science, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4209-1305
  • Juliana de Almeida Paz Graduate Program in Plant Science, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1136-0864
  • Elisandra Sampaio de Freitas Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3953-2995
  • Matheus Augusto Silva Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8885-9421

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-21252025v3813036rc

Keywords:

Psidium guajava L. Irrigation interval. Hydrogel. Seedling production. Water use efficiency.

Abstract

Water scarcity in the Brazilian semiarid region impairs the production of fruit crop rootstocks. Thus, the use of new technologies, such as superabsorbent polymers, becomes essential to improve water management and crop performance. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate different applications of a superabsorbent polymer and irrigation frequencies on the production of guava rootstocks. The experiment was conducted in a rootstock nursery, following a randomized block design in a 4 × 3 factorial scheme, corresponding to four doses of the superabsorbent polymer (0.0, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 g L−1) and three irrigation frequencies (F1 – daily irrigation, F2 – irrigation on alternate days, and F3 – irrigation every two days), with four replications. Plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), number of leaves, root length (RL), rootstock dry mass, PH/SD ratio, PH/SDM ratio, SDM/RDM ratio, and total chlorophyll index (CI) were evaluated. The application of the superabsorbent polymer had a negative effect on rootstock growth under F1, regardless of the dose. However, RL decreased with increasing hydrogel doses under all irrigation frequencies. The application of superabsorbent polymer, combined with reduced irrigation frequencies, resulted in higher total dry mass accumulation in the rootstocks. A superabsorbent polymer dose of 1.9 g L−1 increased CI when rootstocks were irrigated on alternate days and every two days. The dose of 1 g L−1 of the superabsorbent polymer combined with irrigation on alternate days provided the best performance in guava rootstock production.

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Published

06-10-2025

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Scientific Article