Francieli Lima Cardoso

Produção e qualidade do morangueiro em sistemas fechados de cultivo sem solo com emprego de substratos

The objective of the research was to determine fruit production and quality of strawberry plants grown in three different closed soilless systems and two substrates. The experiment was conducted in a screenhouse at Department of Fitotecnia, UFSM, from April to November, 2006. The soilless growing systems were plastic bags, plastic troughs and growing beds, and the substrates were sand and the organic substrate Plantmax PXT®. A 3 x 2 factorial experimental design was used, with four replications. Drip fertigation was used in the plastic bags and sub-irrigation in the other two systems. A standard complete nutrient solution was used without any disposal of it during the experiment. Ripe fruits were harvested and production, firmness, acidity and soluble solids were determined. A significant interaction among substrates and systems was observed. In sand, a mean fruit production of 1017,4g plants-1 was obtained in plastic troughs, which was 8.13% e 8.33% higher than in plastic bags and growing beds, respectively. In the organic substrate, the higher fruit production was 1196,5g plants-1 in growing beds. It was 10.9% and 29.33% higher than that in plastic bags and plastic troughs, respectively. It was concluded that strawberry soilless production might be done without any disposal of nutrient solution during the cropping period. Fruit production was affected by both the growing system and the substrate, without any effect on fruit quality.

Concentração da solução nutritiva no crescimento da planta, na produtividade e na qualidade de frutas do morangueiro

The objective of the research was to determine the effect of nutrient solution concentration on plant growth, fruit yield and quality of the strawberry crop grown in a closed hydroponic growing system. Treatments were five nutrient solutions at electrical conductivities (EC) of 0.9; 1.8; 2.5; 3.2 and 3.8dS m-1, in a randomised experimental design with three replications. Fruit yield and quality during the harvest period and shoot and root growth at the end of the experiment were determined. Fruit yield, fruit size and plant growth were reduced by increasing nutrient solution concentration, whereas titratable acidity and total soluble solids were increased. The EC of 0.9dS m-1 reduces plant growth and maximizes fruit yield of the strawberry crop in the closed soilless growing system.

Crown size and transplant type on the strawberry yield

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa D.) yield is affected by vigor of transplants. Those young and vigorous at planting lead to plants reaching higher vegetative growth and fruit yield than weak or old ones. This study aimed at determining plant growth, development, and fruit yield of the strawberry plant from bare root and plug transplants with different crown diameters. Bare root transplants were produced by rooting stolons and plug transplants from runner tips collected and rooted in a substrate growing bed. Three classes of crown diameters were compared in a 2 × 3 factorial and randomized block experimental design, with four replications, 16 plants per plot and a density of 6.6 plants m-2. For bare root transplants, crown diameters were between 3.0 and 5.0 mm (class 1); 5.1 and 8.0 mm (class 2) and greater than 8.1 mm (class 3). For plug transplants, runner tips were screened between 2.0 and 3.9 mm (class 1); 4.0 and 5.5 mm (class 2) and 5.6 to 7.0 mm (class 3). Transplants of both types were planted at April 16th, 2008, and at this date, crown diameter, shoot and root dry mass and number of leaves were higher in all classes of plug transplants. Ripe fruits were harvested from June 15th to November 7th, 2008, and fresh fruit yield was determined. Plant growth and development were determined at last harvest. Higher growth, development and fruit yield were obtained in plants from plug transplants. For bare root transplants, crown diameters higher than 5.1 mm can be used while for plug transplants the crown diameter of runner tips does not affect plant growth and fruit yield.

Doses de potássio e cálcio no crescimento da planta, na produção e na qualidade de frutas do morangueiro em cultivo sem solo

In order to evaluate the effect of potassium doses supplied by fertigation and of calcium by foliar spray on plant growth, fruit yield and quality of soilless grown strawberries, plants were supplied with nutrient solutions at K+ concentrations of 9 (T1); 6 (T2, control) and 4.28mmol L-1 (T3) and with the control nutrient solution (T2) supplemented once a week by spraying CaCl2 on shoot at concentrations of 2.5 (T4) and 5g L- 1 (T5). Plant growth was lower in the higher potassium concentration (T1) and the highest LAI was recorded in the higher CaCl2 dose (T5). Fruit yield was higher in T2 and T3, the titratable acidity (TA) was higher in T1, while total soluble solids (TSS) and the ratio TTS/TA did not differ among treatments. It was concluded that high potasium concentration in the nutrient solution reduces plant growth, fruit yield and quality and that calcium supplied on shoot by CaCl2 reduces fruit production.

Nitrogen levels in the cultivation of strawberries in soilless culture

No cultivo sem solo do morangueiro, a concentracao de nitrogenio da solucao nutritiva afeta o crescimento da planta, a produtividade e a qualidade das frutas. O objetivo do trabalho foi determinar o efeito da concentracao de nitrogenio da solucao nutritiva no crescimento e desenvolvimento da planta e producao de frutas do morangueiro. Os tratamentos foram constituidos por cinco concentracoes de N na solucao nutritiva: 6,5 (T1), 8,0 (T2), 9,5 (T3), 11,0 (T4) e 12,5 (T5) mmol L-1, em delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repeticoes. Foi determinada a producao de frutas no periodo entre 6 de junho e 27 de novembro de 2009, o numero de folhas e a massa seca da parte aerea, coroas e raizes na ultima data. O numero de folhas, a massa seca da parte aerea e das raizes e o diâmetro da coroa diminuiram com o aumento da concentracao de N na solucao nutritiva. A producao e o tamanho das frutas apresentaram resposta polinomial, com ponto de maxima na concentracao de 8.9 mmol L-1. Concluiu-se que a concentracao de N atualmente empregada na producao dessa cultura em sistemas fora do solo pode ser reduzida para 8.9 mmol L-1, sem reducao na produtividade de frutas.

Cultivo sem solo do morangueiro com três métodos de fertirrigação

This research aimed to compare growth and fruit yield of strawberry plants grown in a closed substrate soilless system under three fertigation methods. The experiment was carried out at the Fitotecnia Department of the Federal University of Santa Maria, between May 14th and November 16th, 2007, in a bifactorial 3 x 2 randomised split plot experimental design and three replications. The main plots were the three fertigation methods and the split plots were the clones LBD 15.1 and LBG 168.1. The growing bed was the organic substrate Plantmax PXT®. The control (T1) was a complete nutrient solution. In T2, absorbed quantities of P, K, Ca and Mg were estimated and added in the substrate before planting. Nitrogen was supplied by fertigation during the cropping period. In T3, quantities of nutrients estimated for T2 were split in fortnight doses and delivered by fertigation using the same fertilizers employed in the complete nutrient solution. Fruit number and yield during the cropping period and vegetative dry matter at the end of the experiment were determined. Early and total fruit yield were lower in T2. It was concluded that for both clones, the fertigation using a complete nutrient solution can reach similar fruit yield as well as the supplying nutrients in fortnight doses, with a reduction in the consumption of fertilizers.

Nitrogen in plant growth and yield of common bean

ABSTRACT The aim of this research was to determine the effect of nitrogen (N) availability on wild Rhizobiumnodulation, plant growth and grain yield of the common bean crop. Experiments were conducted in two growing periods, from 2 March to 3 June 2011 (autumn) and from 21 September to 23 December 2011 (spring), in pots using sand as substrate. Nitrogen concentrations of 5.12 (T1), 7.6 (T2), 10.12 (T3), 12.62 (T4), and 15.12 (T5) mmol L−1 were supplied by fertigation. In spring, the grain yield, number of grains and shoot growth of both cultivars reduced by effect of N concentration but in the cultivar BRS Valente they reducedonly in autumn. Number of nodules and root growth decreased in both cultivars while N concentration increased in the plant tissues. Nitrogen fertilization is not required to the common bean and its use inhibits nodulation. The increased availability does not enhance plant growth and grain yield.