Desenvolvimento inicial de milho crioulo em um latossolo vermelho de cerrado submetido à esterilização

Abstract

Microorganisms play an important role in plant growth, because they act in the process of extreme importance to plant nutrition and transformation of organic matter and nutrient cycling, and may be crucial for growth of plant species. The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of soil microorganisms in the early growth of maize landraces in Cerrado Oxisol. The experimental design was completely randomized in factorial scheme (2x5), the treatments were the combination of two soil conditions (non-sterile and sterile), and five levels of NPK fertilization. The parameters assessed were: dry shoots and roots, plant height, stem diameter, microbial biomass carbon and acid phosphatase activity. The greater growth of plants, both in height and in diameter and greater dry matter production of roots and soil with microorganisms (not sterilized), regarding the absence of the sterilized soil, indicating that the microbial activity in soil is crucial to the growth in maize landraces in Cerrado Oxisol. The non-sterile soil showed higher levels of microbial biomass carbon and higher acid phosphatase activity when compared to sterile soil, indicating the importance of microbial activity in soil carbon stocks increase in microbial and promote greater availability of essential nutrients, such as P, by increasing the enzyme activity