Abstract
ABSTRACT Foliar fertilization is an important agricultural technique that has stood out for its ease of use and can contribute to the production of high-quality and -vigor cashew seedlings. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of foliar fertilizer rates and time of application on ‘BRS 226’ dwarf cashew seedlings after grafting. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and 24 replicates. Each experimental unit consisted of one plant. The commercial product (NPK 20-20-20) was used at the recommended rate for fruit crops in general, 2.5 g L-1. Foliar fertilizer applications at 45 and 60 days after grafting (DAG), with 50% of the recommended rate (1.25 g L-1), or at 80 DAG, with 100% of the recommended, promoted increments of 9% and 13% in the total dry mass, respectively, in comparison to unfertilized plants. Besides that, at 80 DAG the foliar fertilizer application caused significant difference in the B contents, allowed obtaining better quality ‘BRS 226’ grafted dwarf-cashew seedlings. In the production of grafted seedlings of ‘BRS 226’ dwarf-cashew, it’s recommended to foliar fertilization at 45 and 60 days after grafting, with 1.25 g L-1 of the product based on NPK 20-20-20; or a single dose application 2.5 g L-1 at 80 days after grafting.
Highlights
By 2019, 3.7 million tonnes of cashew nuts is expected worldwide and cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) cultivation has economic and social importance for countries with warm and dry climates
At 130 days after grafting, there was no significant effect of the foliar fertilizer rates and time of application on the height and number of leaves of grafted seedlings of ‘BRS 226’ cashew
For the other treatments, applied at 45 and 60 days after grafting (DAG), with 50% and 100% of the recommended rate of foliar fertilizer, there was a reduction in stem diameter in comparison to unfertilized plants
Summary
By 2019, 3.7 million tonnes of cashew nuts is expected worldwide and cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) cultivation has economic and social importance for countries with warm and dry climates. Yield in Brazil has decreased, the main cause being the great heterogeneity of the orchards, which were formed by non-grafted plants (seminal), besides the low use of technologies for their cultivation. An alternative to avoid this problem is planting orchards with grafted seedlings (clonal), which in addition to standardizing the growth and yield of plants, causes the production to start earlier (Mesquita et al, 2010; Cavalcanti Júnior, 2013). This recovery of orchards through the use of clonal plants (grafted seedlings) has been carried out by the producing countries of the African and Asian continents. It is necessary to use a substrate with the ability to retain water and provide it for plants, good porosity to facilitate the oxygenation of seedling roots, good consistency (Calvacanti Júnior, 2013) and, mainly, the capacity to provide nutrients according to the demand during seedling development
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