Production of Dieffenbachia sp. using controlled release, organic or organomineral fertilizers

Abstract

Dieffenbachia sp. is one of the most used plants in pots for decoration. There is little technical information about its production. The appropriate use of fertilizers and balanced fertilization is one of the main production factors that help in the rapid development of plants and their technical and economic aspects. Taking into account the need to carry out more studies related to the nutrition of the species, this work aimed to evaluate the use of mineral fertilizers (conventional or controlled release), organic or organomineral in the production of Dieffenbachia sp. in pots. The experiment was conducted for one year, under a 70% shade cloth, in a completely randomized design, with seven treatments and six replications. The treatments consisted of the following fertilizers: CT (Control – without fertilizer); MF (Mineral - 10-10-10), CRF (Controlled release mineral - 14-14- 14), PCRF (Partially controlled release mineral - 15-05-28), MFMi (Mineral with micronutrients - 12-05-18), OM (Organomineral – 08-05-23) and O (Organic). The variables measured in the experiment consisted of measuring the plant‘s vertical height, leaf width and determining the chlorophyll index (IC) a and b. Only the three-month controlled release fertilizer (CRF) provided gains in growth and green color (chlorophyll index) in Dieffenbachia sp., grown in pots, compared to the absence of fertilization (CT). The three-month controlled release fertilizer (CRF) was the treatment that obtained the best values, impacting the production of Dieffenbachia sp., both in aspects relating to plant height and color, attributes that increase the value of the product at the time of marketing.