Calcified seaweed in production and fruit quality of ‘Ponkan’ tangerine tree

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the influence of calcified seaweed in production and fruit quality of ‘Ponkan’ tangerine. It was performed from December 2009 to June 2010 in an unirrigated commercial orchard, at Perdões, southern Minas Gerais, Brazil, at 21 ° 05' 27 "(S) and 45 ° 05' 27" (W).The experiment was conducted in a 4x2 factorial arrangement in a randomized block design with three replications and four plants per plot, with the two central plants evaluated. The treatments were four levels of calcified seaweed (0.0, 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 kg plant-1) applied to the soil in the canopy projection, combined with leaf application of two concentrations (0 and 5% of calcified seaweed) which was diluted in a backpack sprayer motor 20 L. The applications were split in December 2009 and March 2010. It was observed effect of calcified seaweed applied to soil in transverse diameter, longitudinal diameter, mass, acidity and soluble solids / acidity ratio. Regarding production, productivity, juice yield and soluble solids evaluated in ‘Ponkan’ tangerines no significant differences were observed with the application of calcified seaweed. The calcified seaweed applied to the leaves was not significant in the evaluated characteristics.