Utilização de biohidrogel no plantio de sisal (Agave sisalana Perrine ex Engelm)

Abstract

The use of new technologies combined with efficient management has been increasingly used and indispensable tool for high productivity in plantations. Hydrogels appear as alternatives for the efficient use of water and controlled release of agrochemicals in agricultural and forestry plantations, especially in semiarid regions, due to high water scarcity and strong leaching of soil. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the use of biohydrogel on sisal (Agave sisalana) cultivation. The treatments were charges of 0, 4, 6 and 8 g of biohydrogel, which were previously hydrated with 2 L of water and applied to the planting hole. Treatment with 0 g biohydrogel + 2 L water was used as a reference. The mortality, the vigour, the height of the plant, the number of leaves and the leaf area of sisal plantation and soil pH and moisture content were evaluated. When compared to the reference (without biohydrogel), the use of biohydrogel reduced mortality and increased the vigour of sisal (Agave sisalana) planting, regardless of the charge used. With the addition of 8 g of biohydrogel, the aerial part of the sisal (Agave sisalana) responded by increasing the number of leaves, 5.15 more leaves than the reference (without biohydrogel), but had no effect on plant height and in the leaf area. The charges of 4 and 6 g of biohydrogel had no significant effect on the height of the plant, the number of leaves and the leaf area of sisal, when compared to the reference. The use of different doses of biohydrogel had no effect on soil pH, but had effect on soil moisture. The addition of 6 and 8 g of biohydrogel resulted in the highest and statistically equal soil moisture contents, but the the addition of 6 g did not differ statistically from the 4 g and the reference.