This study aimed to evaluate physiological and morphological characteristics of inflorescences in culture of Calendula officinalis according to the supply of semi-decomposed poultry manure. The experiment was conducted in dystrophic Red Latosol and included four treatments: control, incorporate litter, cover litter and cover (50%) incorporated (50%) litter at the level 20 t ha-1. The randomized split-plot block design was adopted, with six replicates. The values of fresh and dry matter of capitula decreased with the cultivation time. The forms of chicken manure supply did not interfere with chlorophyll synthesis (44.812 µg cm²) and photosynthetic metabolism (20.938 µmol m-2 s-1) and plant transpiration (6.750 Mmol m-2 s-1), with the highest values at 112 days after transplanting. At 126 days after transplanting, the highest production of capitula (16.0 capitula plant -1) was verified for the treatment cover (50%) incorporated (50%) litter, with the highest diameter (46 to 50mm) incorporated. The highest total production of capitula was observed for cultivation with 50% incorporated and 50% cover poultry manure (1362.16 kg ha-1) and the lowest production was noted for the control treatment (939.28 ha-1).
organic residue; medicinal plant; Asteraceae; Calendula
