PRODUCTION OF Enterolobium contortisiliquum SEEDLING USING BIODEGRADABLE CONTAINER, AUTOMATED IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT AND SHADE LEVELS
Atlantic Forest, seedling quality, biodegradable container, water management.
SUMMARYEnterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong, known as monkey's ear, is a tree species native to the Atlantic Forest, and as it presents rapid initial growth, it is recommended for reforestation of degraded areas, in mixed plantations.Information regarding the water needs of native tree species is still incipient, especially when associated with different levels of light.Therefore, the Dissertation project aims to determine the water need and evaluate the growth of monkey ear seedlings produced in malt bagasse containers and in polypropylene tubes, under different levels of shading, substrate composition and irrigation.with cattle wastewater.The work is being carried out in the experimental area of the Water and Soil Research Group in Agricultural Systems (GPASSA), at the Federal Rural University of Rio Janeiro, with the conduction of 2 independent experiments, starting in October 2023. The first experiment is beingconducted in randomized blocks, with 4 nominal shading levels (0%, 35%, 50%, 80%) (plot) and 3 types of containers (malt bagasse tubes (TBM) filled with commercial substrate, with and without fertilization; and polypropylene (TP) tubes of 110 cm3 (sub-plot), with 4 replications. In each plot (metal bench) 3 trays corresponding to the different containers were installed, containing 10 seedlings. In total, 480 seedlings will be produced, of which320 in TBM and 160 in TP. The seedlings will be irrigated by drip, using automated management through actuators, and for this, 12 independent actuation systems will be installed. Every 15 days the height is being analyzed and the container will be fertilizedBM with fertilized substrate and TP, and at the end of the experiments, the total leaf area and the dry masses of the area and roots, allowing the calculation of the quality index of the seedlings and the productivity of the irrigation water.The second experiment will be conducted in the same experimental structure, but evaluating the growth of the species in 4 types of substrate and 3 qualities of water for irrigation.With this study, the aim is to define production strategies for Monkey's Ear seedlings, defining the quantity and quality of water, level of shading and suitable types of substrate and container.