With the objective of evaluating levels and sources of organic matter in the culture of the snap-bean, Macarrão Trepador cultivar, an experiment in field conditions was setted in the period from July to November 1998, in the Federal University of Paraíba, Brazil. The experimental design was of randomized blocks, in factorial scheme 4 x 5, with four sources of organic matter (chicken manure, bovine manure, goat manure and earthworm compost) and five levels (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 t/ha of chicken manure and, 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 t/ha of bovine manure, goat manure and earthworm compost), in four replications. Plots were of 20 plants, space 1.00 x 0.50 m. The results indicated that the length of beans increased linearly with the levels of chicken, bovine and goat manure. The average weight of pods was just influenced by chicken manure. The earthworm compost didn't exercise effect on the characteristics and the productivity of pods. The use of 13.0 t/ha of chicken manure provided maximum yield of pods (26.3 t/ha), the bovine manure in the level of 24.0 t/ha produced 30.3 t/ha and the goat manure in the level of 16.6 t/ha produced 23.0 t/ha. The economical analysis indicated the use of 11 t/ha of chicken manure and 23 t/ha of bovine manure the most viable sources of organic fertilization in snap-bean, by resulting in a productivity of 11.3 and 21.2 t/ha of pods and a foreseen yield of 8 and 21 t/ha of pods, respectively. For the goat manure, the use of 20 t/ha revealed to be a little superior compared to its absence, while 10 t/ha of earthworm compost showed a balance of R$ 2.336.00/ha, but inferior to its absence. In the conditions of the present research, the use of goat manure and earthworm compost as organic matter sources is not advantageous for programs of snap bean pods production.
Phaseolus vulgaris L; pod; organic fertilization; yield
