Quality of vinegar seedlings in response to light levels in the South Western Amazon

Abstract

Vegetables are sources of nutrients essential to human health, but there is a lack of information about these species, which makes it impossible to increase their production and consumption. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of vinegar seedlings produced in different light levels. The experiment was carried out in the experimental garden of the Federal University of Acre, Campus Universitário, Rio Branco, AC. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design with six treatments: full sun; 20% shade; 35% shade; 50% shade; 65% shade; and protected environment, in four blocks and five samples. The seedlings were produced in plastic cups with a volume of 180 cm³, filled with commercial substrate and kept in full sun and shaded environments until the moment of evaluation, being irrigated daily. When the plants had between four and five definitive leaves, the following variables were evaluated: plant height, stem diameter, dry mass of the shoot, root and total part and then determined the Dickson quality index. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and compared using the Scott-Knott test at 5% probability. The protected environment was the one that provided the greatest growth in height, diameter, number of leaves, dry mass of the aerial part, roots and total number of vinegar seedlings. The Dickson quality index was similar for seedlings produced in a protected environment and in full sun. In this way, the production of vinegar seedlings in a protected environment provides greater biomass and a higher quality index. For the state of Acre, during the rainy season, environments with greater light are favorable for the development of vinegar seedlings.