Gongocompostagem: Técnica Sustentável para a Obtenção de Composto Orgânico para o Cultivo de Mudas de Brócolis

Abstract

Millicomposting is a technique still little known in Brazil and in the world, consisting of the food activity of millipedes, which potentiate the fragmentation of agricultural and urban residues and through the accumulation of their fecal pellets, the formation of the organic compost by which we call of millicompost. The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of the millicompost in the production of broccoli seedlings. The substrates used were the following: millicompost obtained at 180 days of millicomposting and the commercial substrate Biomix_®organic. The substrates were characterized in terms of their physical-chemical, chemical and physical properties. The dry masses of the aerial part and roots (g), plant height (cm), number of leaves, notes of seedling vigor and clod stability were evaluated. The experimental design adopted was completely randomized, with four replications, each consisting of the evaluation of 10 plants randomly removed from the trays at 23 days after sowing. The millicompost showed a greater supply of nutrients and water retention capacity, in addition to a lower volumetric density, thus providing the formation of broccoli seedlings with superior quality in relation to the seedlings developed on the commercial substrate Biomix_®organic. The millicompost represents a new alternative of organic substrate for producers, as it provides more vigorous seedlings for transplanting in the production beds.