Crescimento, Biomassa e Nutrição Mineral Em Plantas de Pinhão-Manso (Jatropha Curcas L.) Nutridas Com Composto Orgânico

Abstract

The Jatropha curcas plant represents a valuable alternative in the production of biofuel; however research information about management practices as well its nutritional requirements are limited in the literature yet. Such information is needed to support both Jatropha curcas cultivation and utilization of the side products generated. The scarce information on Jatropha curcas in the literature may be explained by lack of research study on this subject what has lead to lack of knowledge regarding the plant habits. The main goal of the current research was to access the relationship between initial growth and nutrient accumulation in leaf tissue of Jatropha curcas plants fertilized with organic manures made by mixing seed cake and fruit shell in different proportions: manure-1 (20% cake and 80% shell of Jatropha curcas), manure-2 (60% cake and 40% shell of Jatropha curcas). The concentrations used were: 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% v/v, in the growth substrate. The manure-1 had a positive influence in the following growth parameters: plant height, leaf number, dry mass of root and shoot and nutrient accumulation in the shoot. On the other hand, increasing concentration of manure-2 affected negatively all parameters studied provably by changing root membrane integrity what may have affected plant nutrient uptake by the roots.