The combination effect of cattle manure and mineral fertilization on palm heart yield in peach palm plants was evaluated. The experiment was conducted from April 2000 to May 2002 in Quartz Psamment at the Universidade Federal da Paraíba, in Areia, Brazil. The experiment design was a randomized block with treatments arranged in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme with four cattle manure rates (0; 10; 20 and 30 t ha-1) in the presence or absence of NPK fertilizer in four replications. Each plot consisted of 20 plants spaced 2 x 1 m. Estimates of maximum yield for first class (0.84 t ha-1) and second class (1.10 t ha-1) palm heart were obtained when using cattle manure at the rates of 15.4 and 14.0 t ha-1 in combination with mineral fertilization. In the absence of mineral fertilization the maximum yield of first class (0.76 t ha-1) and second class (1.0 t ha-1) palm heart was attained with cattle manure rates of 15.8 and 16.0 t ha-1. First class palm heart presented the maximum yield estimated at 1.94 t ha-1 with cattle manure applied at the rate of 15.0 t ha-1. In the absence of N-P-K fertilization the maximum yield of 1.85 t ha-1 was due to the application of 16.6 t ha-1 of cattle manure.
Bactris gasipaes; organic fertilizer; mineral fertilizer; palm heart
