Growth, Physiology and Nutrient Use Efficiency in <i>Eugenia dysenterica</i> DC under Varying Rates of Nitrogen and Phosphorus
Daniele Nogueira dos Reis,
Fabiano Guimarães Silva,
Reginaldo da Costa Santana,
Thales Caetano de Oliveira,
Mariângela Brito Freiberger,
Fábia Barbosa da Silva,
Elídio Monteiro Júnior,
Caroline Müller
Affiliations
Daniele Nogueira dos Reis
Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Goiano Federal Institute of Science and Technology—Campus Rio Verde, P.O. Box 66, 75901-970 Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
Fabiano Guimarães Silva
Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Goiano Federal Institute of Science and Technology—Campus Rio Verde, P.O. Box 66, 75901-970 Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
Reginaldo da Costa Santana
Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Goiano Federal Institute of Science and Technology—Campus Rio Verde, P.O. Box 66, 75901-970 Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
Thales Caetano de Oliveira
Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Goiano Federal Institute of Science and Technology—Campus Rio Verde, P.O. Box 66, 75901-970 Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
Mariângela Brito Freiberger
Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Goiano Federal Institute of Science and Technology—Campus Rio Verde, P.O. Box 66, 75901-970 Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
Fábia Barbosa da Silva
Plants Stress Study Laboratory, University of São Paulo, Luiz de QueirózAgriculture School, P.O. Box 9, 13418-900 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
Elídio Monteiro Júnior
Biodiversity Laboratory, Minas South Federal Institute of Science and Technology—Campus Poços de Caldas, 37713-100 Poços de Caldas, MG, Brazil
Caroline Müller
Ecophysiology and Plant Productivity Laboratory, Goiano Federal Institute of Science and Technology—Campus Rio Verde, P.O. Box 66, 75901-970 Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
The production of high-quality seedlings and their use in commercial planting reduce pressure on natural areas. Eugenia dysenterica DC is a native fruit tree from the Brazilian Cerrado, whose nutritional requirements are still unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) supplementation on the physiology, growth and nutrient uptake, and use efficiencies of E. dysenterica seedlings grown in glasshouse conditions. The following rates were used in separate experiments: 0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg dm−3 N and 0, 100, 200, 400, and 600 mg dm−3 P. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block with four replications. The lowest N rate (50 mg dm−3) increased the stomatal conductance (gS) and, consequently, resulted in the highest transpiration (E), electron transport (ETR), and photosynthetic (A) rates. Also, rates of 50 mg dm−3 and 100 mg dm−3 N increased the Root Uptake Efficiency (RUE) and plant Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) for macronutrients and the RUE for micronutrients, stimulating plant growth. Phosphorous fertilization resulted in the maximum values for photosynthesis, electron transport rate, total dry mass, and NUE at the 200 mg dm−3 rate. The results of this study suggest that fertilization with 50 mg dm−3 N and 200 mg dm−3 P is suitable for the development of E. dysenterica seedlings.
