Ação de um bioinsumo desenvolvido por um agricultor familiar sobre o crescimento inicial de cafeeiros

Abstract

Plant species have active substances used for various purposes, with significant applications in agriculture. One of the uses of these substances is in the formulation of bioinputs, which in turn represent an important strategy in the management and protection of cultivated plants, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional inputs. Originating from organic materials such as plant and microbial compounds, these products can contribute to promoting soil health and to the nutritional and sanitary management of plants. Additionally, bioinputs cause fewer impacts on the environment and human health compared to chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, and their application can significantly reduce dependence on agrochemicals. Brazil stands out in this context due to its vast plant biodiversity, offering a wide range of raw materials for the manufacture of new products. The use of bioinputs not only provides a more sustainable agricultural alternative but also demonstrates the wisdom and creativity of farmers in seeking autonomy in the management of their agroecosystems. Farmers' traditional knowledge about plants and their multiple potentials represents a valuable source of wisdom transmitted orally from generation to generation. The bioinput studied in this research exemplifies this narrative, being a concrete demonstration of this rich biocultural heritage transmitted over time. Developed by a farmer based on their popular knowledge of plants, the bioinput was designed to provide alternatives to pesticide use in their coffee plantation, especially for pest and disease control. The aim of this doctoral thesis was to evaluate the effects of a bioinput developed by a farmer, based on medicinal plants, on the initial development of coffee plants. For this purpose, two experiments were conducted in a greenhouse with coffee seedlings grown in pots for about 5 months. At the end of the experiments, variables related to growth and initial development, as well as aspects related to the nutritional and sanitary condition of the plants, were collected. Means were compared using the Scott-Knott test through RStudio software, considering a significance level of 5%. Some of the analyzed variables showed significant differences between treatments, and relevant results were described and discussed based on the literature. The individual extract from the species Leonurus japonicus Houtt. stood out by positively affecting height growth and the area under the foliage progress curve of coffee plants, with the potential to be used as a plant growth inducer. The results reinforce the popular knowledge and oral tradition that farmers possess regarding medicinal plants and their multiple applications, playing a crucial role in the preservation and transmission of this knowledge.