Characterization of Substrates and Their Influence on Germination and Growth of Asparagus Seedlings

Abstract

The survival and performance of vegetables in the field production cycle depend on the seedling quality and, in turn, the substrate. Asparagus is not part of the vegetables cultivated in Boa Vista-RR, so basic studies, such as substrate preparation, are necessary. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of six substrates on the initial development of asparagus seedlings in two growth phases. For this, an experiment was set up in an entirely randomized design, with treatments arranged in a factorial scheme (6 x 2). In the initial phase of the study, six compositions were evaluated with the following materials: (S - soil; M - goat manure; C - root and shoot of cassava) in two sowing seasons. The S40M30C30 substrate stands out by having better particle distribution, 79% ranging between 2 and 0.5 mm and 21% less than 0.5 mm, wet bulk density of 0.823 g cm-3 and dry of 0.726 g cm-3, relative humidity of 7.1% and particle density of 1.88 g cm-3. This substrate also provided higher growth variables than the others and is suitable for growing asparagus in its initial phase. Asparagus seeds should be sown in a substrate prepared with soil and organic waste (goat manure and residue from the shoot and roots of cassava) at least seven days before sowing.