POLÍMERO HIDROABSORVENTE NA REDUÇÃO DE NUTRIENTES LIXIVIADOS DURANTE A PRODUÇÃO DE MUDAS DE MARACUJAZEIRO-AMARELO

The irrigation frequency to meet the water requirement for the production of passion fruit seed-lings can cause nutrients leaching, reducing the fertilization efficiency. Thus, the work was carried out to evalu-ate the effect of hydro-absorbent polymer in reducing losses of leached nutrients during the production of yel-low passion fruit seedlings. The factorial design 5 x 2 was used, distributed in a completely randomized design, being the factors represented by five doses of polymer (Hidroplan®-EB/HyB-M): 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 g L-1 of substrate and two types of substrates: Bioplant® and Provaso® with four replications and 10 plants per plot. The polymer was incorporated into the substrates, making up the homogenization of the mixture at the time of planting. Irrigation was carried out daily sufficient to keep the substrate moisture control treatment at field ca-pacity, programmed by a system of automated irrigation sprinkler type. Collection of the leachate was carried out at 30 and 60 days after emergence of seed, which was submitted to laboratory analysis to determine the amount of nutrients leached. In the last evaluation determined the seedlings size and nutrient content in leaf dry mass. The incorporation of hydro-absorbent polymer to substrate reduced nutrient losses by leaching in the substrates. The losses reduction of leached nutrients favored the growth and increase of leaf nutrients in passion fruit seedlings with the polymer.