Organomineral fertilizer based on swine manure and Trichoderma harzianum improves the performance of Eucalyptus grandis

Abstract

The productivity of forest plantations of the Eucalyptus genus in Brazil depends on applying large amounts of fertilizers. Controlled-release or organomineral fertilizers represent sustainable alternatives to traditional mineral fertilizers, allowing reduced production costs, higher growth rates, and environmental benefits. Additionally, using biological inputs such as fungi of the Trichoderma genus can increase forest productivity and improve plant quality and vigor. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the influence of different types of fertilizers associated with Trichoderma harzianum on the morpho-physiological attributes of young Eucalyptus grandis plants. This study was conducted in a greenhouse using a completely randomized design, with six replicates in a 5 × 2 factorial scheme, considering four types of mineral or organomineral fertilizers and a control treatment, with or without T. harzianum inoculation. At 180 d after planting, the morphology of the aerial and roots and the aspects of the photosynthetic apparatus were evaluated using the Falker chlorophyll index and chlorophyll a fluorescence. For basic fertilization, E. grandis plants cultivated using a controlled-release fertilizer and an organomineral fertilizer based on swine manure showed the best results for the morphophysiological features evaluated. T. harzianum inoculation also improved the E. grandis development, especially when associated with controlled-release or organomineral fertilizers. Therefore, using swine manure to formulate organomineral fertilizers combined with inoculating T. harzianum in seedlings is a sustainable alternative fertilizer for young E. grandis plants.