The effect of different soil nutritional availabilities on growth and development of erva-mate (<em>Ilex paraguariensis</em> St. Hil.) plants

Abstract

The effect of different soil nutritional availabilities on the growth and development of erva-mate plants was investigated under controlled conditions during a 120-day period, in a distrophic red latosol with the following initial chemical characteristics: pH CaCl₂ = 4.5, H + Al = 5.42, Al = 0.20, Ca + Mg = 4.90, Ca = 3.92, K = 0.19 in cmol_c dm^-3, and P = 1 mg dm^-3, C_organic = 3.0 dm^-3 and CEC = 10.51 cmol_c dm^-3. Ca, Mg and K rates were used up to 65%, 20% and 5% of the soil cation exchange capacity (CEC). Phosphorus and nitrogen at 50mg dm^-3 and chicken manure were used to increase organic carbon content to 10g dm^-3 in a totally randomized experiment with 12 replicates. The utilization of limestone (CaCO₃ and MgCO₃) had no effect in the growth and development of erva-mate plants. Treatment with P and K did not affect significantly the parameters investigated, but the treatment including N induced a significant increase in the plant height, leaf number, leaf area and shoot dry matter values in relation to control. Erva-mate plants showed an initial tolerance to soil acidity and consequently presented a high adaptation capacity to chemically degraded soils.