EMERGENCY AND PERFORMANCE OF COCONA SEEDLINGS IN DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES AND SOWING DEPTHS

Cocona (Solanun sessiliflorum Dunal) is a rustic solanaceae, with high capacity and multiple possibilities for use and can be used in folk medicine and/or as food. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of different substrates and sowing depth on emergence and early seedling performance of cocona. The experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions (25 +/- 2 degrees C), at the Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia do Amazonas, Tabatinga - AM. Were used a completely randomized design with four replicates in a factorial 2 x 5, two sowing depths ("on" = 0 and "between" = 1 cm) and five substrates (soil, sand, soil + sand (1: 1), soil + manure (1: 1), soil + sand + manure (1: 1: 1)). Were evaluated: Emergence speed index (IVE); Percentage of emergency (% E); Number of leaves (NF); Length of primary root (CRP); Length of shoot (CPA); Total length (CT); Fresh mass of primary root (MFRP); Fresh mass of shoot (MFPA); Total fresh mass (MFT); Dry mass of the primary root (MSRP); Dry mass of shoot (DMAP); and, Total dry mass (MST). Sowing on the substrates, favored the characteristics assessed for this crop. The combination of substrate soil + sand + manure (1: 1: 1), with sowing "on", stood out among the treatments, and may be suggested as the most efficient for the production of cocona seedlings.