Doses de torta de mamona aplicadas ao solo para desenvolvimento de Moringa oleifera

Abstract

Castor oil plant cake is an agro-industrial residue that has potential for use in organic fertilization due to the high levels of N, P, and K in its composition. However, it is not known which dose of castor oil plant cake provides better development of moringa, which is an oilseed of high economic potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of doses of castor oil plant cake applied to the soil on the initial development of moringa. The experiment was installed in December 2021 (Beberibe, CE) where Moringa oleifera was sown in pots containing 4 kg of sandy soil. The experimental design was a randomized block design (BDC), with five treatments (castor cake doses of 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 g/vessel, equivalent to 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 t/ha, respectively) and five repetitions. The plants were irrigated daily with well water to replace the water lost by evapotranspiration. At 46 days after sowing, the following plant assessments were made: stem diameter, height, dry mass of the aerial part, accumulation of nutrients, and sodium in the plant material. After the removal of the plants, soil samples were collected and analyzed for chemical fertility attributes (pH, C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, and calculable attributes). The data were analyzed using the SpeedStat statistical program. Regression analysis was performed for significant data. The doses of castor bean cake had an effect on the diameter of the stem, on most of the nutrients accumulated in the plant and on the chemical attributes of the soil. The dose 16 g/vessel contributed to the best development of the moringa seedlings.