SOUZA, N. P.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4299729240048282; SOUZA, Nadiana Praça de.
Résumé:
The cashew tree is a crop that is of great importance in the semi-arid Northeast due to its
economic and social return. However, the occurrence of prolonged periods of drought in the
Brazilian semi-arid region has hampered the expansion of early dwarf cashew cultivation,
making it necessary to adopt irrigation management strategies and the use of osmoregulators.
In this context, the objective was to evaluate the physiology, growth, biochemistry and water
relations of early dwarf cashew genotype under water stress and salicylic acid concentrations
in the semi-arid region of Paraibano. The research was carried out in a greenhouse belonging
to the Agro-food Science and Technology Center of the Federal University of Campina Grande,
Pombal-PB. The experimental design adopted was in randomized blocks, arranged in a 3×2×4
factorial scheme, with treatments resulting from the combination of three cashew rootstocks
(Embrapa 11, Faga 11 and CCP 76), two water conditions, corresponding to irrigation with
100% of the real evapotranspiration ETr (full irrigation) and another at 40% of the ETr (water
deficit) and four concentrations of salicylic acid - AS (0; 1.5; 3.0 and 4.5 mM) with three
repetitions and two plants per plot, totaling 144 experimental units. The growth and
accumulation of phytomass of cashew rootstocks are harmed by the reduction of the irrigation
depth by 40% of ETr. The Faga 11 genotype presents higher leaf production and leaf expansion
rate than Embrapa 51. The concentration of 3 mM salicylic acid in rootstocks with water deficit
provided an increase in stem diameter at 70 DAS. Application of 4 mM salicylic acid to
rootstocks with ideal irrigation conditions reduces the accumulation of dry phytomass in the
aerial part of the plants.
