Quality of pot gerbera cultivars in different substrate granulometries

This research was conducted to evaluate the quality of pot gerbera in different granulometries of pine bark substrate. The experiment was carried out in protected environment, in the municipality of Botucatu, São Paulo state, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in 5 x 2 factorial scheme (5 substrates and 2 cultivars) and 4 replicates. The substrate was pine bark separated into five granulometries [4-2 mm, 2-1 mm, < 4 mm, < 2 mm and < 1 mm (approximate aeration percentage of 40, 35, 25, 20 and 10%, respectively)]. The utilized cultivars of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii) were Cherry and Golden Yellow. The pots were subjected to quality analysis, in which possible consumers received a form to evaluate the pots regarding the overall aspect of leaves, inflorescences and general aspect of the pot. Then, the following variables were evaluated: number of leaves, plant diameter, stem height, stem diameter, capitulum diameter, number of inflorescences, dry phytomass of shoots and inflorescences and qualitative analysis. Plant quality was directly influenced by the physical and chemical characteristics promoted by the pine bark granulometries, with best results in the substrates with granulometries < 2 mm and < 1 mm.