Turmeric growth and production as a result of mineral fertilizer and planting density were evaluated through two experiments carried out at the Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil. The first experiment was carried out from January to August 1998. Doses of urea, triple superphosphate and potassium chloride were the treatments (0; 40; 80; 120; 160 and 200 kg/ha of N; 0; 50; 100; 150; 250 and 400 kg/ha of P2O5 and 0; 40; 80; 120; 200 and 280 kg/ha of K2O), planting densities (55,556; 41,667 and 33,333 plants/ha, spaced 0.60 m between rows and 71,428; 47,619 and 35,714 plants/ha spaced 0.70 m between rows) and N splitting on side dressing applications [all at planting date (PD); 1/2 at PD and 1/2 three months later; 1/3 at PD, 1/3 two months and 1/3 four months later; 1/4 at PD, 1/4 a month and a half later, 1/4 three months and 1/4 four months and a half later]. The second experiment was carried out from December 1999 to September 2000. and the treatments tested were two row spacings (0.60 and 0.80 m) and six within-row spacings (0.05; 0.10; 0.15; 0.20; 0.30 and 0.40 m), displayed in a factorial 2 x 4. The experimental design was a complete randomized block with four replicates. The yield of fresh rhizomes increased as a result of N application from 12,130 kg/ha with dose zero, to 16,124 kg/ha with the dose of 130 kg/ha, and as a function of P application from 12,799 kg/ha, with dose zero, to 15,763 kg/ha with the dose of 177 kg/ha of P2O5. K and the splitting of N did not affect plant height and the production of rhizomes. The yield decreased from 25 t/ha in the 0.05 m within-row spacing to 18 t/ha in 0.40 m spacing. Productivity increase obtained in within-row spacing smaller than 0.10 m did not overcome the higher expenses with rhizomes for the respective plantings.
Curcuma longa; turmeric; plant population; mineral fertilizer; medicinal plants
