GROWTH OF PASSION FRUIT SEEDLINGS ACCORDING TO BORON AND TERMITES MOUND NEST MATERIAL FERTILIZING

Abstract

For producing passion fruit seedlings, it is necessary to pay attention to the plant nutritional status, whose information about fertilizing with micronutrients such as boron are still scarce for tropical regions where fruit growing is increasing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of boron (B) rates and termites mound nest material on growth components and concentration of B on yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deg.) shoots, in a Red Distrophic Latosol. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 5x4 factorial scheme, with five B doses (0 mg dm-3, 0.25 mg dm-3, 0.50 mg dm-3, 0.75 mg dm-3, and 1.00 mg dm-3) and four termites mound nest material rates (0 g dm-3, 25 g dm-3, 50 g dm-3, and 75 g dm-3), with four replications, totaling 80 experimental units. The experimental unit was composed of pots with up to 700 cm3 samples. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. The highest values for shoot dry matter yield, plant height, leaf area, stem diameter, and SPAD reading are obtained by a joint application of the maximum termites mound nest material dose and between the two highest B rates. The termites mound nest material was little effective as a B source to influence upon the growth components of passion fruit plants. The B concentrations on the yellow passion fruit shoots, for all termites mound nest material rates, decreased with the increases in the B rates applied.

KEY-WORDS: Passiflora edulis; borate fertilizing; organic fertilizing.