Qualidade de cultivares de gérbera de vaso em função das características físicas e químicas dos substratos

• Main Author: Ludwig, Fernanda [UNESP]
• Publication Date: 2011
• Other Authors: Guerrero, Amaralina Celoto [UNESP], Fernandes, Dirceu Maximino [UNESP], Bôas, Roberto Lyra Villas [UNESP], Laschi, Denise [UNESP]
• Format: Article
• Language: por
• Source: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Download full: http://dx.doi.org/10.14295/rbho.v17i2.710; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/141400
• topic: Gerbera jamesonii; Soilless cultive; Fertirrigation; Gerbera jamesonii; Cultivo sem solo; Fertirrigação

Gerbera is a plant that has gained prominence in the market of flower and ornamental plant. Aimed at evaluating the consumer preference of gerbera cultivars produced in substrates with different physical and chemical characteristics, an experiment was carried out in greenhouse from September to November 2008 at FCA/UNESP, Botucatu (SP), Brazil. Experimental design was in randomized blocks, in factorial arrangement 5x2 (5 substrates and 2 cultivars), with four replicates. The substrates used were: 1= 40% red soil, 40% pine bark, 10% composition 1 (C1) (40% pine bark + 30% vermiculite and 30% carbonized rice husk), 10% composition 2 (C2) (75% pine bark + 25% needles of pine); 2= 20% red soil, 30% pine bark, 30% C1, 20% C2; 3= 50% pine bark, 20% coconut granulated fiber, 30% C1, 4= 30% pine bark, 30% C1, 20% coconut granulated fiber, 20% coconut mixed fiber; 5) commercial substrate (70% pine bark + 15% peat + 15% vermiculite) and the cultivars were Red and Cherry. Plants at the commercialization point were evaluated by consumers, who filled in a questionnaire, grading the aspect of leaves, inflorescences and overall plants. Then, inflorescence number and diameter, leaf number, plant diameter, stem diameter, plant height, leaf area, fresh and dry phytomass, and water content were assessed. The highest grades were attributed to Cherry cultivar, which presented the largest inflorescence and plant diameter and the smallest inflorescence number. Plants developed in substrates with lower pH and higher densities received the lowest grades and presented the smallest leaf number, plant diameter and leaf area. In conclusion, plant diameter, leaf area, inflorescence diameter and plant height are good indicators in the qualitative evaluation of pot gerbera plants. Cherry cultivar has increased consumer acceptance in relation to Red, and substrates with dry density of less than 530 kg m-3 and pH values between 5.5 and 6.8 are most suitable for the production of gerbera.