African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6863

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of humic substances and nitrogen fertilization on yellow passion fruit cultivation in the Brazilian semiarid region

Roberto Lustosa Silva*
  • Roberto Lustosa Silva*
  • Universidade Federal de Viçosa – Campus Universitário, Avenida Peter Henry Rolfs, s/nº, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
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Italo Herbert Lucena Cavalcante
  • Italo Herbert Lucena Cavalcante
  • Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco – Campus Ciências Agrárias, Rodovia BR 407, km 119 – Lote 543 – Projeto de Irrigação Senador Nilo Coelho, s/nº, “C1”, 56300-990, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brasil.
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Augusto Miguel Nascimento Lima
  • Augusto Miguel Nascimento Lima
  • Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco – Campus Ciências Agrárias, Rodovia BR 407, km 119 – Lote 543 – Projeto de Irrigação Senador Nilo Coelho, s/nº, “C1”, 56300-990, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brasil.
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Luirick Felix Silva Barbosa
  • Luirick Felix Silva Barbosa
  • Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco – Campus Ciências Agrárias, Rodovia BR 407, km 119 – Lote 543 – Projeto de Irrigação Senador Nilo Coelho, s/nº, “C1”, 56300-990, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brasil.
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Cleriton de Souza
  • Cleriton de Souza
  • Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco – Campus Ciências Agrárias, Rodovia BR 407, km 119 – Lote 543 – Projeto de Irrigação Senador Nilo Coelho, s/nº, “C1”, 56300-990, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brasil.
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Erivan dos Santos Sousa
  • Erivan dos Santos Sousa
  • Universidade Federal do Piauí – Campus Professora Cinobelina Elvas, Rodovia Bom Jesus – Viana, Serra Azul, 64900-000, Bom Jesus, Piauí, Brasil.
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Thiago Bruno da Silva Lessa
  • Thiago Bruno da Silva Lessa
  • Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco – Campus Ciências Agrárias, Rodovia BR 407, km 119 – Lote 543 – Projeto de Irrigação Senador Nilo Coelho, s/nº, “C1”, 56300-990, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brasil.
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Lourival Ferreira Cavalcante
  • Lourival Ferreira Cavalcante
  • Univesidade Federal da Paraíba – Centro de Ciências Agrárias - Campus II, Rodovia BR 079 - Km 12, 58397-000, Areia, Paraíba, Brasil.
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  •  Received: 16 May 2016
  •  Accepted: 03 August 2016
  •  Published: 01 September 2016

Abstract

Fruit production of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims. f. flavicarpa Deg.) is affected by several factors, such as climate, soil and agricultural practices, including fertilization and irrigation, which are essential for high crop yield. Thus, an experiment was carried on to evaluate the effect of humic substances and different nitrogen doses supplied through fertigation on fruit production of yellow passion fruit in Brazilian semiarid. The experiment was carried on from December 2012 to December 2013 on Curaçá irrigation area, Juazeiro County, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized complete block in a split plot arrangement, considering humic substances (absence and presence) as main plots and N doses (180, 200, 260, 330 and 350 kg ha-1 yr-1 of N) as subplots with five replications and six plants in each parcel. The interaction of nitrogen doses and humic substances affected foliar nitrogen concentrations, stem diameter, production per plant and yield. No isolated effect of humic substances on any variable studied was significant. The higher yellow passion fruit yields are recorded at 290 and 350 kg ha-1 N doses without and with humic substances, respectively.

Key words: Passionflower, plant nutrition, organic acids.