Silício e fósforo na qualidade e rendimento de batata-doce sob déficit hídrico no semiárido

Abstract

Sweet potato is acrop of great importance for family farming in the semi-arid region of Piauí, due to its hardiness and adaptability. However, water deficit is one of the main limiting factors for the productivity and quality of tubers in this region. Silicon and phosphorus play a role in plant development under water deficit. This aimed to evaluate the effect of silicate and phosphate fertilization on the quality and yield of sweet potatoes under water deficit in the semi-arid region of Piauí. The experiment was conducted on a rural property in the municipality of Oeiras-PI, using a randomized block design in a factorial scheme (2x2), composed of silicate fertilization (with and without silicon) and phosphate fertilization (with and without phosphorus), with four replications. Water deficit was applied for seven days during the initial tuberization phase. Tuber diameter and length, total and commercial number of tubers, average mass, total and commercial yield, and total soluble solids content were evaluated. There was an interaction effect between silicon and phosphorus on the total number of tubers, where phosphorus promoted an increase in this variable in the absence of silicon. For the other variables, there was no difference. Phosphorus increases the number of sweet potato tubers under water deficit in the absence of silicon. Studies are needed to deepen the understanding of the interaction between phosphorus and silicon under different soil and environmental conditions, in order to support management strategies for the crop.