Fertigation with bovine biofertilizer: Effects on growth, gas exchange and yield of physic nut (<i>Jatropha curcas</i>)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth, gas exchange and yield of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) fertigated with different concentrations of bovine biofertilizer. The study was conducted in the experimental area of the Universidade Federal do Ceará in Fortaleza/CE (Brazil). The transplanting of seedlings was done into 100 L pots, filled with Alfisol. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with five treatments and five replications. The treatments consisted of fertigation with the following bovine biofertilizer/water concentrations: T1 = 0% (control), T2 = 12.5%, T3 = 25%, T4 = 50%, T5 = 100%. The variables analysed were plant height, stem diameter, number of bifurcations, transpiration, stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, number of fruit per plant, fruit weight, fruit diameter, 100 seed weight and yield. The concentration of 100% of biofertilizer applied through fertigation positively influences plant growth in plant height, stem diameter and number of branches. The biofertilizer can be used as a source of nutrients in the first year of cultivation of physic nut. The use of biofertilizers through fertigation increases photosynthesis and chlorophyll in plants of physic nut. The treatment of biofertilizer 100% (T5) provided the highest productivity of physic nut after the first year of cultivation in pots, yielding 1533.62 g plant^-1.