ABSTRACT
In the last years, jambu has become popular and greatly appreciated, due to its remarkable taste. Thus, hydroponically cultivated jambu is promising, since it achieves better yield and production quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ionic concentration in nutrient solution on growth, productivity and gas exchange of jambu. The experimental design was completely randomized, with five treatments and four replicates. The treatments consisted of variations of ionic concentration using the nutrient solution proposed by Hoagland & Arnon (25, 50, 75, 100 and 125%). The length of the main stem, stem diameter, number of inflorescence, leaf area, fresh and dry biomass (shoot, root and inflorescence), photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, internal CO2 concentration, Ci/Ca ratio and instant carboxylation efficiency were evaluated. Ionic concentrations significantly affected the studied variables, except the stem diameter, the internal CO2 concentration and the Ci/Ca ratio. The number of inflorescences and the leaf area grew linearly with maximum values (37.8 units plant-1 and 1650.8 cm2 plant-1, respectively) obtained in ionic concentration of 125%. Maximum responses were observed for shoot fresh and dry mass (63.9 and 6.9 g plant-1), root fresh and dry mass (16.7 and 2.0 g plant-1) inflorescence fresh and dry mass (11.0 and 1.8 g plant-1), respectively, at ionic concentration of 125%. Liquid photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and instant carboxylation efficiency achieved maximum responses of 17.9 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1, 0.3 mol H2O m-2 s-1, 6.3 mmol m-2 s-1 and 0.06 with estimated concentrations of 84, 70, 80 and 83% of ionic strength, respectively. Thus, we concluded that the ionic concentration of 125% is indicated to obtain a greater biomass accumulation.
Keywords:
Acmella oleracea; ionic concentration; fresh and dry mass
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