Effect of density and fertilization NPK on heart-of-palm production of peach palm

Abstract

The effect of density and fertilization on heart-of-palm yield of peach palm under field conditions was determined at Yuricam farm, in Rio Preto da Eva counnty, state of Amazonia, Brazil. The experiment was installed in a randomized complete block design. Treatments were arranged in a 3 × 5 factorial scheme with three replicates. Treatments were comprised of the planting density (10,000; 5,000 and 3,333 plants ha -1) and N, P 2O 5 and K 2O doses (0-0-0; 112.5-12.5-90; 337.5-38-270; 225-90-180 and 225-25-180 kg ha -1). The results of the first year of production showed that regarding the NPK doses the stem harvest followed the order: 225-90-180 (66%); 225-25-180 (57%); 337.5-38-270 (50%); 112.5-12.5-90 (26%); 0-0-0 (1%) - number in parenthesis indicate the percentage of plants harvested in relation to those that were planted - and for the planting density: 3.333 plants ha -1 (58%); 10.000 plants ha -1 (40%); 5.000 plants ha -1 (28%). The shortest average period for extracting the heart-of-palm was obtained with a density of 3.333 plants ha -1 (18.4 months) and at NPK dose of 225-90-180 kg ha -1 (18.1 months). The main NPK effect within the 10.000 plants ha -1 density with a fertilization employing 225-90-180 and 225-25-180 kg ha -1 of NPK allowed to obtain the highest heart-of-palm yield, which reached 841 and 779 kg ha -1 and 1.154 and 1.223 kg ha -1 of soft stem, respectively, for the two fertilizations.