Crescimento e fenologia reprodutiva de Moringa oleifera Lam. submetida a diferentes doses de esterco bovino.

Abstract

Moringa oleifera Lam. is a tree species from Northeast India, widely cultivated in tropical countries like India, Egypt, Philippines, Ceylon and Thailand. In Brazil, its cultivation has intensified in recent years due to its versatility of use, as well as its nutritional properties. It is a fast-growing, rustic species that requires little technology for cultivation, making it an excellent alternative for small and medium producers, since it has high added value and the ability to adapt in different regions of the country, in especially in the Northeast region. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate different doses of bovine manure and their respective influence on the growth and reproductive phenology of the moringa culture. The experiment was installed in the Tubarão settlement, located in the rural area of the city of São José do Bonfim-PB. The seeds used for sowing were collected from parent trees in the city of Patos- PB. The experimental design used was in randomized blocks, with five replications. The treatments corresponded to five doses of bovine manure (0, 3, 4, 5 and 6%), quantified in liters per pit, as follows: 0.0; 0.9; 1.8; 2.7 and 3.6 L/pit. The pits were opened in the dimensions of 0.40m x 0.40m x 0.30 m in width, length and depth, respectively. In each hole, five seeds were sown. Each experimental unit was composed of 10 plants per plot. For the morphological characterization of the vegetative stages, daily observations were made from the fifth day after sowing. The variables analyzed were: emergence speed index, percentage of emergence, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, height of lateral branches and number of lateral branches. The development phases were illustrated as there were significant changes in its structure, marked in the periods of 8, 10, 12, 15, 30, 60 and 90 days after sowing. For the phenological study, 10 individuals were selected within the plot, which were observed weekly according to the reproductive phenophases (flower buds, flowering trees, end of flowering, new fruits present, ripe fruits). Two observation methods were used: the phenological activity index and the Fournier Index. The values of these indexes were associated with precipitation and temperature. The 4% dose of organic matter was the one that provided the best performance in the growth variables. The construction of the phenological scale of the vegetative stages of moringa will serve as a subsidy for understanding the stages of development. Fertilizer sources 3% and 4% showed better results for phenological aspects. The flowering of the moringa must be considered annual, because the plant has a flowering period in certain months of the year. Regardless of the sources of fertilization, reproductive phenology showed a strong relationship with precipitation. The flowering period was 60 days, the physiological maturation lasted 100 days, the time between emergence and production was 8 months.