<b>The effect of shading levels on the development of yellow passion fruit seedlings (<em>Passiflora edulis</em> Sims f. <em>flavicarpa</em> Deg.) )</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actasciagron.v28i4.889

Abstract

The effect of shading levels on the development of yellow passion fruit seedlings was studied, from May 12 to June 29 (2004), at the Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia State, Brazil. Seedlings aged 45 days after the emergency, were cultivated and submitted to different levels of solar radiation reduction: 0%, 30%, 50% and 70%. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with four treatments, five replications and six plants for plot. The evaluation parameters were: dry mass of roots, stems and leaves, shoot/root ratio, leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf area ratio, leaf mass ratio and nitrogen content. A trend to the accumulation of dry mass in the less shaded plants was observed. Also, there was an increase of the aerial part/root ratio in the plants under higher shade levels. The leaf area, specific leaf area and leaf area ratio were higher in the shaded plants, reflecting an adaptation of these to maximize the light absorption. The leaf mass ratio did not differ between the treatments. The total nitrogen content per unit of mass was higher in the shaded plants, while per unit of area, a decrease was observed.