ABSTRACT
The experiment aimed to compare the effect of hydrogel use and seasonal planting on the survival and initial growth of Jatropha curcas L. seedlings in western Parana state. Treatments included planting of seedlings from three provenances of physic nut (Pedro J. Caballero, Nova Porteirinha and Janaúba) subjected or not to root immersion in hydrogel (5.0 g L-1) and four planting seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter). The experimental used a randomized block design with five repetitions for each planting season. Ninety after planting, the effect of the polymeric hydrogel was quantified by the percentage of survival while the initial growth used morphometric variables such as the increment in seedling height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, and specific leaf area. The results indicated that root immersion in hydrogel increased percentage of seedling survival for the spring planting season in 6.7%. The use of hydrogel did not propitiate the growth increase especially for the winter planting season. However, a larger growth increase was obtained for the spring planting of Pedro J. Caballero and Nova Porteirinha provenances.
Keywords:
Jatropha curcas L.; provenance; planting season; hydroretainer.