Phosphate fertilization on production and quality of cauliflower seeds

Due to the scarcity of information related to the effect of fertilizers on production and quality of vegetable seeds, mainly on species which present an increase in the cycle, like cauliflower, more studies are necessary about the influence of nutrients rates which provide high production of high-quality seeds. This research aimed to evaluate the influence of rates of phosphorus (P) on the production and quality of cauliflower seeds. Five rates of phosphorus were studied (0, 300, 600, 900 and 1200kg ha(-1) of P2O5), in a randomized complete block design, with four replications. Production and quality (weight of a thousand seeds, germination test, first count of germination test and emergence in substrate) of the seeds and soil chemical characteristics were evaluated. The higher the rate of phosphorus, the higher P content in the soil and values of sum of bases, cation exchange capacity and saturation of bases were observed at the end of the cycle. Seed quality was not affected by P fertilization, with the exception of the weight of a thousand seeds which was adjusted to a linear model. For seed production quadratic effect was obtained. The highest weight of seeds per plant was estimated for the rate of 862kg ha(-1) of P2O5.