Eficiência e viabilidade econômica de substratos para produção de mudas de alface crespa

Abstract

The production of a quality seedling is essential to obtain positive results in field production and one of the factors that directly influences the formation of this seedling is the substrate chosen. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of five types of commercial substrates in the production of Deisy crisp lettuce seedlings, from the Super-Seed® line, in order to identify which provides better development of the aerial and root parts of lettuce and concomitantly, select the most economically efficient for the production of seedlings. The substrates tested were: S1 = Golden Mix® coconut fiber, composed of mesocarp fibers from coconut shells and agricultural gypsum; S2 = substrate formed by the mixture of peat, expanded vermiculite, dolomitic limestone, agricultural gypsum and NPK fertilizer by Carolina Soil®; S3 = of the same composition as S2 but with a different index of water holding capacity, from Carolina Soil®; S4 = composed of sphagnum peat and limestone, from Carolina Soil®; S5 = Hortaliça BX substrate by Basaplant® made up of peat, limestone, vermiculite, charcoal, phosphate rock, pine bark and coconut fiber. The design used was randomized with 4 repetitions, where each repetition corresponds to a tray (200 cells). After 28 days of sowing, the following variables were analyzed: number of leaves (NF), aerial part length (CPA), root length (CR), aerial part fresh mass (MFPA), root fresh mass (MFR), dry mass Aerial (MSPA) and Root Dry Mass (MSR). The results were submitted to the 5% Tukey test. Substrate S3 (Carolina Soil® XVI) showed statistically superior results for the production of seedlings in all variables, standing out in CPA, MFPA and MSPA. S5 (Hortaliça BX) obtained statistically inferior results in the variables CPA, CR, MSPA and MFR, proving to be inefficient for the production of Deisy crisp lettuce seedlings. The S1 (Golden Mix® Coconut Fiber) in addition to presenting efficient results in the NF, CR, MFPA and MFR items, proved to be the most economically viable with a cost of R$1.20/tray. Considering the economic viability together with the performance of the substrate, S1 is the recommended treatment to produce Deisy curly lettuce seedlings.