Production of Maclura Tinctoria Seedlings with Pruning Residue on Organic Substrate

Abstract

The use of organic waste and the production of alternative packaging for the production of seedlings is still not very representative, but it can certainly reduce costs and benefit the environment. The objective of this work was to evaluate the addition of different proportions of shredded pruning residue (0, 25, 50 and 75%) to an organic substrate, produced from the vermicomposting of sewage sludge and Napier grass, in the production of Maclura tinctoria seedlings in tubes made of newspaper. Height, diameter, leaf number, leaf area, aerial mass and root mass were evaluated, and nutrient contents in the aerial part were quantified. Based on the data obtained, seedling quality indexes were calculated and correlated with leaf nutrient content. The results showed that tree pruning residues can be added to organic substrate for the production of Maclura tinctoria seedlings in newspaper tubes and that the best quality of seedlings was achieved with the addition of 16% to 19.5% (maximum of 25%), of pruning residue to the organic substrate.