Doses of hydrogel influencing growth and nutritional content in seedlings Eucalyptus dunnii.

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate different dosages of hidroretentor added to the substrate on the growth, nutrient content and quality of Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with six treatments, and increasing concentrations of the hydrogel (0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 g.L^-1). Were six replicates, each consisting of 24 plants. At 90 days after sowing was evaluated morphological parameters of seedlings and nutritional analysis of the seedlings. The dose around 4.5 g.L^-1 brings the best answer for the variables evaluated, providing greater height, diameter collect, shoot dry mass, root parts and Dickson quality index. The use of doses below 3 g.L ^-1 or above 4.5 g.L ^-1 decreased the quality of seedlings. All macronutrients showed higher content in shoots (leaves + stem) in the presence of the hydrogel. The macronutrient content of the shoots of seedlings increases with the addition of the hydrogel, but decreases the content of micronutrients. In general, the use of polymer hidroretentor increased the quality of the seedlings of E. dunnii.

Keywords:  Seedling production; polymer hidroretentor; retention of water and nutrients; nutritional analysis.