Initial Development of Açaí Plants Under Shade Gradation

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effect of different levels of shading on açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) plants development, an experiment was conducted at the Viveiro da Floresta, Rio Branco, AC. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with six treatments and four replications of 25 plants, set as full sunlight and 18%, 35%, 50%, 70%, and 80% shading. The evaluation occurred 125 days after transplantation and the variables were stem diameter, root length, length of the aerial part, total length, dry matter of root, dry matter of aerial part, and total dry matter. With exception of root length, there was significant difference between treatments for all variables. The production of açai plants should be performed using 40% shading. DESENVOLVIMENTO INICIAL DE PLANTAS DE AÇAÍ SOB GRADUAÇÕES DE SOMBREAMENTORESUMO -Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito de diferentes níveis de sombreamento no desenvolvimento de plantas de açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) foi instalado um experimento no Viveiro da Floresta em Rio Branco, AC. O arranjo experimental foi o inteiramente ao acaso com seis tratamentos e quatro repetições de 25 plântulas, definidos como a pleno sol e os sombreados em 18%, 35%, 50%, 70% e 80%. A avaliação ocorreu 125 dias após o transplantio e as variáveis analisadas foram o diâmetro do colo, comprimento da raiz, parte aérea e total, massa seca da raiz, parte aérea e total. Com exceção do comprimento da raiz, houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos para todas as variáveis. A produção de plantas de açaí deve ser feita utilizando 40% de sombreamento. Termos para indexação: Euterpe oleracea, produção de mudas, luminosidade, Arecaceae. 1 (Trabalho 178-15).Recebido em: 15-07-2015. Aceito para publicação em: 16-09-2015. 2 Eng. Agr. Mestre em Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Acre, Campus Rio Branco, AC.

Shading And Slow Release Fertilizer Effects On The Growth Characteristics Of Assai Seedlings (Euterpe oleracea)

“…Results observed by Dapont et al (2016) confirm that assai seedlings (E. oleracea) present a higher total dry mass in shades of 20% to 50%. In Euterpe edulis seedlings submitted to environments of 70% to 96% luminosity, a greater increase of dry mass was verified in the seedlings (Nakazono et al, 2001).…”

“…In the literature, the cultivation environment and the nutritional question for producing assai seedlings has already been addressed. Conforto & Contin (2009) verified that the development of assai palms in the nursery phase was considered satisfactory under conditions of 50% of the incident radiation, a result corroborated by Zancheta et al (2013) and Dapont et al (2016). Mendonça et al (2006) concluded that the use of the substrate formed by plantmax + coffee bean peels + sawdust + sand and soil in the proportion of 1:1:1:1:2 v/v associated with a slow release fertilizer dose of 4 kg m -3 is a good alternative for producing an assai palm seedling grove.…”

“…This may have occurred due to the reduced metabolic rates and less photoassimilate availability, which is essential to plant growth since there is a decrease in photosynthesis in shaded environments (Silva et al, 2007;Favreto et al, 2010). Dapont et al (2016) observed that the stem diameter in assai seedling groves decreased as a function of increased shading. Gatti et al (2011) verified that 10% of maximum irradiance input led Euterpe edulis plants to reach the smallest stem diameter.…”

“…In an 8 month-old assai seedling grove, Conforto & Contin (2009) recorded a mean of 3.42 g and 3.73 g for the stem in environments with 50% and 16% of shade, respectively. Dapont et al (2016) found that the shoot dry mass of assai seedlings (Euterpe oleracea) occurred in an environment with 40% shade.…”

Environment and slow-release fertilizer in the production of Euterpe precatoria seedlings

“…The environment in which the seedlings are produced is of utmost importance, because their adaptation to it will depend on how well their photosynthetic apparatus is adjusted to this environment, in a way that the available daylight can be more efficiently used (Silva et al 2007). In this regard, some studies have been carried out, for instance, addressing E. oleracea (Conforto & Contin 2009, Dapont et al 2016 and E. edulis (Nakazono et al 2001, Tsukamoto Filho et al 2001, Ribeiro et al 2011, but little has been found about the behavior of E. precatoria under those conditions. For this reason, more research on adequate cultivation environments is needed, especially in what regards shading levels for the formation of good-quality seedlings.…”