Evolução do crescimento da palma forrageira (Opuntia fícus – indica Mill) em função do adensamento e adubação com farinha de osso no solo.

Abstract

The present work aimed to evaluate the vegetative growth of forage cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) in function of different spacing and phosphorus levels. The experiment was conducted in Teixeira, Paraíba State, Brazil, at 790 m of altitude, in an ULTISOL, with a slope of 15%. It was used the forage cactus which was planted in the East-West direction. It was used a completely randomized block design, in a 4x4 factorial, with four replications. The treatments were 60, 80, 100 and 120 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25m of spacing. As a source of phosphorus it was used bone flour (18% P2O5). Data referring to the parameters of growth of the foraging palm (cladodes number, cladodes length, cladodes width, cladodes perimeter and cladodes thickness) obtained during the period experimental and subjected to the statistical analysis, did not show significant differences (F <0.05). The mean number of cladodes per plant was 13.21; cladodes length, cladodes width, cladodes perimeter and cladodes thickness means were, 32.41cm, 17.43cm, 74.01cm and 27.12mm, respectively. There was no significant difference among the evaluated parameters. Independent of the applied bone flour, forage cactus productivity increases with planting density.