Comportamento da palma forrageira ‘gigante’ cultivada em diferentes densidades populacionais em arranjo mecanizável

Abstract

The forage cactus is a crop adapted to the climatic conditions of the Brazilian semiarid, so it has contributed to the socioeconomic development of this region. The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of forage cactus 'Giant' cultivated in different population densities in a mechanizable arrangement. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with six population densities: 22,857; 34,286; 51,428; 62,857; 80,000 and 95,000 plants ha-1 and four replicates totaling 24 experimental units. The following were evaluated: plant height, number of cladodes, length, width and index of cladode area, green and dry mass production, extraction / export of nutrients and soil chemical characteristics. The number of cladodes decreased linearly while the cladode area index values increased linearly in response to the increase in planting density. The characteristics of production, extraction / export of nutrients and the potential acidity of the soil adjusted in a quadratic way as a function of the planting densities. The increase in population density in a mechanizable arrangement promotes a reduction in the number of cladodes and an increase in the cladode area index. The maximum production of green and dry mass of the palm cultivated in arrangement that allows the mechanization is expected when the population of 69,111.79 and 64,445.91 plants ha-1 are used respectively. Maximum values of extraction / export of nutrients in palm tissue grown in an arrangement that allow for mechanization are expected at intermediate population densities (62,721.52 - 74,741.93 plants ha-1). The potential acidity of the soil presents a maximum value when the population density of 64,525.51 plants ha-1 is used.