TITLE:
Growth and Production of Crambe Submitted to Doses of Nitrogen and Potassium
AUTHORS:
Ramara Sena de Souza, Lúcia Helena Garófalo Chaves, Josely Dantas Fernandes, Ana Carolina Feitosa de Vasconcelos
KEYWORDS:
Biofuels, Fertilization, Crambe abyssinica, N, K
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.7 No.1,
January
8,
2016
ABSTRACT: The dependence on non-renewable fuels of countries around the world increased the interest for
the gradual replacement of fossil fuels with renewable ones. Thus, several development programs
for the use of renewable sources for power generation have been created and, in this perspective,
biofuels have been highlighted. Crambe is an alternative crop for the production of biodiesel due
to its rusticity, precocity, high oil content and adaptability to different climates. Optimum management
practices of fertilizer use in crambe cultivation are little known and there are no specific
recommendations for its fertilization. Therefore, the objective of this research was to study the
effects of mineral fertilizers concerning the nitrogen and potassium elements in the growth and
production of crambe. The experiment was installed in a greenhouse, with a completely randomized
design. Nitrogen doses used were 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg·ha-1and 50, 75, 100 to 125 kg·ha-1
for potassium. The increase in production was directly proportional to the increase in nitrogen
levels. The potassium doses did not cause significant effect on the growth of crambe.