Rock powder as a tool in the production of arugula seedlings in substrates

Resumo

The interaction between rock powder and substrates in arugula and the amount to be used of this remineralizer are not elucidated. Thus, the objective of the study was to investigate whether substrates associated with rock powder interfere with the phytometric morphology of seedlings and to understand the effect of remineralizer proportions, added to commercial substrate, on the development of arugula seedlings. We performed two experiments. In experiment I, the treatments were three substrates in the absence and presence of rock powder (30% of the container volume), designed in randomized blocks, with three replications. In experiment II, the treatments were six rock powder proportions (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% of the container volume), designed in randomized blocks, with three replications. In experiment I, the seedlings produced in the substrate Horta 2^® had better phytometric quality. In experiment II, shoot fresh mass and seedling root volume increased until the addition of 15% rock powder to the Horta 2^® substrate and decreased with proportions of 20% and 25%. There is no interactive effect between substrates and rock powder in the production of arugula seedlings in containers. Substrates with greater water retention enhance the quality of arugula seedlings because they improve their phytometric morphology. Proportions of rock powder added to the Horta 2^® substrate interfere with the shoot and root system morphology of the seedlings. The increase in the proportion of this remineralizer up to 15% of the container volume, added to the growth medium, improves the aerial biomass and the root volume of arugula seedlings, ‘Donatella’ cultivar.