Casca de mamona associada a quatro fontes de matéria orgânica para a produção de mudas de pinhão-manso

Castor hull combined with four organic matter sources for physic nut seedling production Substrates consisting of mixtures of soil and organic materials have usually been recommended for production of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) seedlings. Castor hull is a residue produced in large quantities during the hulling process. This residue contains high amounts of macronutrient s. The objective of this study was to evaluate four organic materials for mixing with soil and castor hull. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at EMBRAPA Cotton Research Center between October and December 2006. The treatments were arranged in a complete randomized design with four replications and two plants per plot. Treatments were a mixture of soil and castor hull with one of the following materials: garbage compost, bovine manure, sewage sludge and castor presscake. The Control was a mixture of soil and castor hull. At 55 days after sowing, data on plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, stem diameter , dry weight of shoots and roots and leaf content of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S were measured. All substrates were found suitable for production of physic nut seedlings, however the use of soil with castor hull only showed the lowest seedling