Abstract
Organic fertilization provides low cost, supplemental nutrition for plant production. This study aimed to determine the best source and dose of organic fertilizer on the growth of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.), a potential biodiesel producer. Physic nut seedlings were transplanted to 18 dm³ black plastic pots filled with soil mixed with four sources of organic fertilizer (chicken, fish, cattle manure or urban waste compost) at four dose levels (50, 100, 200 or 400 L m-3). Fertilized and control (no fertilization) plants were grown under shadehouse conditions and morphological plant features were assessed at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after transplanting. Doses higher than 100 L m-3 of poultry manure mixed with claysoil should be avoided. The use of other sources such as cattle manure, fish manure and composting may be used and result in increase in height, leaf area, SPAD index up to doses of 200 L m-3 manure mixed in clay soil.
Highlights
Physic nut (Jatropha curcas L. - Euphorbiaceae) is a perennial, deciduous shrub which produces crops of oil-rich nuts (OPENSHAW, 2000)
The interaction between days after transplanting (DAT) and fertilizer dose explained by the response surface regression showed an increase or maintenance of number of leaves (NL) (Figure 1) and leaf area (LA) (Figure 2) with increasing fertilizer dose even under low temperature (2° C in July) at the experimental site (Figures 1 and 2)
An increase in the dose of fish manure, cattle manure and urban waste compost resulted in an increase in leaf number whereas poultry manure induced a reduction with increased dose (Figure 1).The number of leaves on seedlings that received cattle and fish manure expressed a linear increase on DAT and dose without reaching a tested maximum
Summary
Physic nut (Jatropha curcas L. - Euphorbiaceae) is a perennial, deciduous shrub which produces crops of oil-rich nuts (OPENSHAW, 2000). - Euphorbiaceae) is a perennial, deciduous shrub which produces crops of oil-rich nuts (OPENSHAW, 2000). Nuts have been targeted for use in biodiesel production as a replacement for conventional diesel (SUBRAMANIAN et al, 2005). J. curcas is considered adaptable to many climatic and edaphic conditions (ARRUDA et al, 2004), yet soil nutrient availability causes high variation in fruit production. Jatropha extracts high amounts of nutrients during the fructification process, reducing soil fertility (LAVIOLA; DIAS, 2008) and limiting the ability of the species to provide consistent nut crops for biodiesel. Fertilization is recommended to increase soil nutrient levels to the target culture requirements or replenish nutrients extracted by crop production (NOVAIS; SMYTH; NUNES, 2007). While animal manure has become an attractive, low cost alternative for small farmers (SOBRINHO et al, 2009)
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