ANÁLISE DE CRESCIMENTO DA MAMONEIRA BRS ENERGIA EM FUNÇÃO DA DENSIDADE POPULACIONAL

Abstract

The population density is one of the factors that affect the final yield of crops, being easily ma-nipulated by man. The objective was to evaluate the growth of castor bean plants cv BRS Energia in dense pop-ulations through primary data and non-destructive analysis of growth and identify which period greater vegeta-tive growth occurs. We adopted a randomized block design with five treatments and four replications, totaling 20 experimental units. Each experimental unit contained 4 m wide and 6 m in length, representing 24 m². Treatments involving five populations of plants 10.000; 16.666; 25.000; 50.000; 100.000 plants ha-1, with a spacing of 1 m between rows and 1; 0.6; 0.4; 0.2 and 0.1 m between plants, respectively. It was determined: stem diameter, plant height, leaf area, leaf area index and rates absolute and relative leaf growth, of stem diam-eter, of plant height and of fresh biomass epigeal. The castor bean BRS Energia has the highest rates of vegeta-tive increase between 15 and 45 days after emergence. Therefore, it is of great importance, in this period, pro-vide the plant water and nutrient conditions appropriate so that does not compromise on plant development.