Coffee seedlings in different substrates and protected environments

Abstract

The production of high-quality seedlings is a critical factor for successful implementation of a determined crop in the field. In order to evaluate the production of coffee seedlings, experiments were conducted with different substrates and in different protected environments. Treatments consisted of evaluation of the following substrates: 50% cattle manure + 50% commercial substrate, 50% cattle manure + 50% vermiculite, 50% commercial substrate + 50% vermiculite, 1/3 cattle manure + 1/3 commercial substrate + 1/3 vermiculite, 50% cattle manure + 50% sand, 1/3 sand + 1/3 cattle manure + 1/3 commercial substrate and 50% commercial substrate + 50% sand. These substrates were tested in different protected environments: agricultural greenhouse, mesh screen with 50% shading, aluminized screen with 50% shading, black screen with 30% shading, black screen with 70% shading, nursery with a buriti straw roof and full sunlight. In each environment, the experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design with five replicates of four plants each followed by joint analysis. The substrates containing 50% cattle manure associated with vermiculite or the commercial substrate may be indicated for production of coffee seedlings. Screened environments with 30, 50 and 70% shading resulted in the highest quality seedlings.A formação de mudas de qualidade é fator primordial para o sucesso da implantação da cultura a campo. Com o objetivo de avaliar a formação de mudas de cafeeiro, realizaram-se experimentos com diferentes substratos e ambientes protegidos. Os tratamentos consistiram na avaliação dos seguintes substratos: 50% esterco bovino + 50% substrato comercial; 50% esterco bovino + 50% vermiculita; 50% substrato comercial + 50% vermiculita; 1/3 esterco bovino + 1/3 substrato comercial + 1/3 de vermiculita; 50% esterco bovino + 50% areia; 1/3 areia + 1/3 esterco bovino + 1/3 substrato comercial, e 50% substrato comercial + 50% areia. Estes substratos foram testados no interior de diferentes ambientes protegidos: estufa agrícola; telado de cor preta de 50%; telado de cor aluminizada de 50%; telado de cor preta de 30%; telado de cor preta de 70% de sombreamento; viveiro com palha de buriti e pleno sol. Em cada ambiente, os experimentos foram conduzidos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com cinco repetições de quatro plantas cada e posterior análise conjunta. Os substratos contendo 50% de esterco bovino associados à vermiculita ou ao substrato comercial são indicados para a formação de mudas de cafeeiro. Os ambientes telados com telas de 30; 50 e 70% de sombreamento propiciam a formação de mudas mais vigorosas.