Application of different fertilizers in substrate for Kalanchoe luciae Raym.-Hamet cultivation

Abstract

Succulents present great commercial importance, but information on the cultivation of these plants are not enough, especially considering the use of fertilizers during the growth phase. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different fertilizers applied to the substrate in the cultivation of Kalanchoe luciae Raym.-Hamet. Cuttings measuring 6 cm in height and 12 cm in diameter were cultivated in 1.5 L pots containing the substrate (1 soil: 1 sand: 1 vermiculite). In this experiment, the effect of the fertilization based on NPK 10:10:10 was evaluated with and without the addition of a fertilizer mixture composed of 5 g bone flour, 5 g dolomite limestone, and 50 g ground charcoal, this proportion that was used for each 1.5 L substrate. After 60 days, an increase in the number of leaves, which was proportional to the increase in the doses of NPK applied, was verified. Even though the plants presented higher number of leaves (18.34) and higher height (18.73 cm) for the substrate with 1.5 g L-1 of NPK 10:10:10, plants did not reach the compact aspect suggested by some producers. The addition of fertilizer mixture presented no effect on the leaves number and neither to the plant height, however, it was observed that the plants that received the fertilizer mixture presented the fifth leaf with bigger diameter. None of the treatments favored the formation of one of the most important characteristics of this species, the reddish color on the borders of the leaves.