Relation between substrates and nutritive supply methods, applied to beet seedling production and productive back effect - DOI: 10.4025/actasciagron.v27i3.1403

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the nutritive supply and substrates in beet seedling production in speedling tray, and its productive back effect. In the first experiment the seedlings germination and growth were analyzed and in the second experiment, the back effect of treatments was applied to the seedlings in the beet production when the seedlings from the same combinations of treatment were transplanted on the field. Experimental designs in completely randomized blocks were used respectively in factorial plots of 4 X 2, with three replications. The treatments resulted from the combination of four nutritive supply methods – M1) by fertirrigation; M2) full time floating hydropony; M3) daily floating hydropony from ten to fifteen hours; and M4) full time floating hydropony alternated by fertirrigation; and two substrates: S1) Plantmax^®-HT and S2) crushed sugar cane. Results show that in the nursery phase, the fertirrigation (M1) was more effective in the emergency of the seedlings, M2 was more effective in the growth of the seedlings, while in the field phase, M1 and M2 were more productive. The crushed seedlings contributed to the greatest final plant population of the culture and it did not differ from the industrialized substrate production.