Development of Hymenaea courbaril L. (Fabaceae) seedlings in hydroponic and soil system

Abstract

The jatobá (Hymenaea courbaril L.) belongs to the family Fabaceae and subfamily Caesalpinioideae. It is a specie used for various purposes, it has a huge economic and ecological value, highly indicated for degraded areas recovery. In this context, this research aimed to evaluate the jatobá seedlings development, cultivated in hydroponic system and on the soil, in order to verify which is the most promising system for the seedlings production of the specie. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse of the Forestry Engineering School of Pará's Federal University-UFPA, in the municipality of Altamira-PA. The experimental design used was in blocks completely randomized with two treatments (Hydroponic System and Soil) with four repetitions, being each repetition composed by five plants, making four blocks each treatment. The seedlings were cultivated in soil horizon B oxisol (treatment 1) and nutritional solution (treatment 2). The following parameters were evaluated: height, collar diameter, dry matter weight of the aerial part and root system and nitrogen contents, phosphorus and potassium of the aerial part and the root. The development in the seedlings diameter was similar in both studied systems, however, the best jatobá seedlings development observed was in soil cultivation, although the hydroponic system had provided better nitrogen and phosphorus absorption. The potassium absorption was similar between the treatments.