Abstract

Residues from agricultural activities might be used as substrates for production of seedlings. In this study it was aimed to evaluate the physiology, nutrition and quality of Eugenia dysenterica DC. seedlings grown in substrates derived from agricultural organic wastes. The wastes used were as follows: rice husks (RHs); fermented cattle manure (FCM); cattle manure compost (CMC), which contained corn silage and FCM; sugarcane bagasse (SCB); filter cake from sugar-alcohol mills (FC); and subsoil (SB). Four substrates were formulated from the wastes, namely SB+RH (1:1; v:v), SB+CMC (1:1), SB+FCM (3:1) and SCB+FC (3:2) and Bioplant^Òsubstrate was also used. The following characteristics were evaluated: the emergence and vigor percentages, biometric characteristics, seedling quality indices, gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence and leaf nutrient levels. The seedling emergence was similar for all the substrates. The highest vigor was found in seedlings that were cultivated in SCB+FC, which was equal to the vigor observed in Bioplant^Ò. In general, the use of the SB+CMC substrate gave better seedling results for the biometric and nutritional characteristics, followed by SCB+FC. Most of the biometric characteristics showed a correlation with photosynthesis, electron transport rate and effective quantum yield of photosystem II, thus showing that these characteristics can be alternatives to the traditional quality indexes used for seedlings. The use of CMC, SCB and FC was shown to be appropriate for the production and nutritional supply of seedlings’ specie. The composition SB (subsoil)+CMC (1:1) proved to be the most suitable to produce E. dysenterica seedlings.

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