Effect of plant-biostimulant on cassava initial growth

• Main Authors: João Emílio de Souza Magalhães, Evander Alves Ferreira, Maxwel Coura de Oliveira, Gustavo Antonio Mendes Pereira, Daniel Valadão Silva, José Barbosa dos Santos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal De Viçosa 2016-04-01
• Series: Revista Ceres
• Subjects: enraizamento; hormônios vegetais; Manihot esculenta Crantz
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-737X2016000200208&lng=en&tlng=en

ABSTRACT Biostimulants are complex substances that promote hormonal balance in plants, favor the genetic potential expression, and enhance growth of shoots and root system. The use of these plant growth promoters in crops can increase quantitatively and qualitatively crop production. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a commercial biostimulant on the initial growth of cassava. The experiment was arranged in a 2 x 5 factorial design, corresponding to two cassava cultivars (Cacau-UFV and Coimbra) and five biostimulant concentrations (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 mL L-1). At 90 days after planting, the characteristics leaf area, plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, total dry matter and dry matter of roots, stems and leaves were evaluated. The biostimulant promoted linear increases in plant height, leaf number, leaf area, total dry matter, dry matter of stems, leaves and roots. The cultivar Cacau-UFV had a higher growth rate than the cultivar Coimbra. The growth promoter stimulated the early growth of the cassava crop.