Growth, production and nutrients in coriander cultivated with biofertilizer

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of doses of a biofertilizer, formulated with a mix of plants (BMV), on the growth, production and nutrients in coriander cultivar Verdão. The BMV was prepared with crushed parts of the species Flemingia macrophylla, Musa sp. and Azolla sp. The trial was carried out in a greenhouse, in Yellow Argissol, with medium texture (V= 36.4%). The experimental design was of randomized blocks with six replicates. Besides BMV doses (0, 5, 10, 15 and 30%, in water), an additional treatment with bovine manure biofertilizer was added (10% in water). Inorganic ingredients blended into biofertilizers as chicken manure were incorporated in soil of growing-beds. The evaluated traits responded to BMV doses linearly. A decrease in green mass (GM) of plants, from 1.43 to 0.88 kg/m2, which is the commercial product, and plant height, from 31.33 to 24.02 cm, was attributed to the astringency of Musa sp. in the biofertilizer, together with N shortage. The plant aerial part dry mass (DM) increased from 11.29 to 13.75 g/100 g due to fibrous stems under nitrogen deficiency. Nutrient contents increased (B and Zn), did not range (N, S, and Cu) or decreased (P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn) and accumulation increased (N, S, K, B, Zn and Cu), decreased (Fe) or did not change (P, Ca, Mg and Mn). The analysis of the principal components showed DM and accumulations of P, K, Ca, Mg and S in the same direction and antagonism of N with Ca and Mg, attributed to loss of N at alkaline pH, by natural phosphate (FN) in BMV. And also, DM, B, Cu and Zn accumulations increased concomitantly while accumulations of Fe and Mn did not compete. The manure biofertilizer surpassed the BMV in GM (1.38 and 1.21 kg/m2, respectively), as well as accumulations of N and K.