From the Soil to the Table: Organic Sweet Potato Production with Biofertilizers at the Cabeceira do Iguatemi Settlement

Abstract

Among the various possibilities for vegetable cultivation, organic production stands out. Faced with this demand, small producers were encouraged to enter this production model, which expanded the market for these products. In this sense, aiming to stimulate organic production, an organic sweet potato garden fertilized with biofertilizer was implemented in the Cabeceira do Iguatemi Settlement, in the municipality of Paranhos, Mato Grosso do Sul. The activities were carried out in the Cabeceira do Iguatemi Settlement, in the municipality of Paranhos, Mato Grosso do Sul, under the coordinates 23°37'16.4"S and 55°25'17.0"W. For the planting of the sweet potatoes, ridges were constructed with a length of 9 meters, a width of 1.5 meters, and a height of 0.30 meters, with a spacing of 0.50 m x 0.50 m between the sweet potato vines. In addition, biofertilizer applications were carried out every 15 days, using a dose of 5 liters of biofertilizer for every 2 liters of water. This biofertilizer was applied to the entire cultivation area. All production was designated for the Association of Organic Producers of Mato Grosso do Sul - APOMS, in order to add greater value to the products. Through the application of biofertilizer combined with cultural practices, it was possible to harvest approximately 105 kg of sweet potatoes at the site. The commercialization was designated entirely to APOMS, where the producer received approximately R$ 3.50 per kg of sweet potato produced, totaling approximately R$ 367.50. The use of biofertilizers based on cattle manure positively influences sweet potato productivity in the Paranhos region.