WATER SALINITY AND BOVINE BIOFERTILIZER IN THE PRODUCTION OF EGGPLANT SEEDLINGS - DOI: 10.7127/rbai.v11n700666

Resumo

The use of saline water in agriculture is an alternative for those producers that do not have water of good quality for irrigation, however, some crops do not tolerate saline stress and as a strategy to mitigate the saline stress effects it has been recommended the use of organic inputs. Based on that, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different electrical conductivities of the irrigation water associated to the application of bovine biofertilizer in the eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) crop. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse located at the Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, in the municipality of Catolé do Rocha-PB, Brazil. It was used a completely randomized experimental design, with a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, with 6 replicates. The treatments consisted of the combination of the electrical conductivity of the irrigation water (ECw): 0.8; 2.4; 4 e 5.6 dS m-1 and the application of bovine biofertilizer (presence and absence). Based on the results of this research, it was possible to conclude that irrigation with saline water from 0.8 dS m-1 affects negatively the growth and the dry matter production of eggplants. The application of bovine biofertilizer provides positive results in eggplant plants, attenuating the negative effects of saline stress.