With the objective of evaluating the effect of different substrates in the production of vegetable biomass on rocket (Eruca sativa) seedlings cv. cultivated, an experiment was carried out at the Federal University of Acre, in the period from September to November of 2006, using the following treatments: T1 - Plantmax® (control), T2 - organic compost + triturated ripe coconut shells (1:1 v/v), T3 organic compost + poultry litter + carbonized rice hulls (1:1:1 v/v), T4 organic compost + bovine manure + carbonized rice hulls (1:1:1 v/v), T5 organic compost + earthworm casting + carbonized rice hulls (1:1:1 v/v), T6 organic compost + earthworm casting + triturated açaí pit (1:1:1 v/v), T7 organic compost + earthworm casting + triturated ripe coconut shells (1:1:1 v/v) e T8 organic compost + bovine manure + triturated ripe coconut shells (1:1:1 v/v). Ten percent triturated charcoal, 1.0 kg.m-3 of lime and 1.5 kg.m-3 of thermophosphate were added, except in T1 treatment. The sowing was done using three seeds per cell in expanded polystyrene trays containing the different substrates. Eight days after sowing, thinning was done leaving just 1 plant per cell. On the 26th day after sowing, the fresh mass of the aerial part, the dry mass of the aerial part, root, and the whole plant were appraised. The experimental design was entirely randomized with 8 treatments and 3 repetitions, and with 4 plants per plot. Treatments T4 ,T5 and T7 were the ones that promoted a higher yield of fresh and dry plant mass, and did not differ statistically among themselves, nor from the control treatment (T1), for all the characteristics evaluated.
Eruca sativa; propagation; organic fertilizer; coconut shells
