Initial growth in seedlings of Adenanthera pavonina L. for different substrates

Adenanthera pavonina L., a species that produces great quantities of viable seeds, is widely used in the reclamation of degraded areas. The aim was to study the effect of different substrates on the emergence and initial growth of seedlings of A. pavonina. The experiment was carried out at the Centre for Agrarian Science of the Federal University of Paraiba, in Areia, Pariba, Brazil. The experimental design was completely randomised (CRD) with the treatments composed of 14 substrates: sand, compost, fine vermiculite, sawdust, carbonised rice hull, sand + compost in a 1:1 ratio, sand + sawdust in a 1:1 ratio, sand + cured cattle manure in a 1:1 ratio, compost + sawdust in a 1:1 ratio, compost + cattle manure in a 1:1 ratio, fine vermiculite and sand in a 1:1 ratio, fine vermiculite + sawdust in a 1:1 ratio, fine vermiculite + compost in a 1:1 ratio, and fine vermiculite + cured cattle manure in a 1:1 ratio, in four replications of 25 seeds. The following were evaluated: emergence, first count, speed of emergence index, and length and dry weight of the roots and shoots. Given the results, it was found that the sand, compost and fine vermiculite substrates, as well as the mixtures of sand + compost, compost + sawdust and fine vermiculite + sawdust in a 1:1 ratio are the most efficient for promoting the emergence and initial growth of seedlings of A. pavonina.