Resumo A palmeira areca é uma planta ornamental amplamente utilizada no Brasil para decoração e paisagismo. O uso adequado de fertilizantes e adubação equilibrada estão entre os principais fatores que promovem o rápido desenvolvimento dessas plantas e afetam seus aspectos técnicos e econômicos. Devido à necessidade de elucidar a nutrição da palmeira areca, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o uso de fertilizantes minerais (de liberação convencional ou controlada), orgânicos ou organominerais na produção de palmeira areca em vasos. O experimento foi conduzido por um ano sob tela de sombreamento de 70% em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com sete tratamentos e seis repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de diferentes fertilizantes: sem fertilizante; mineral 10-10-10; mineral de liberação controlada 14-14-14, mineral 16-06-18, com 50% do N e K de liberação controlada, mineral 13-05-13, organomineral 16-06-16 e orgânico. O experimento consistiu em medir a altura vertical da planta e determinar o Índice de Clorofila de Falker (FCI) a e b. Todos os fertilizantes utilizados no experimento proporcionaram ganhos de crescimento e de cor verde (Índice de Clorofila) na palmeira areca cultivada em vaso em relação à ausência de adubação. O tratamento com fertilizante mineral de liberação controlada 14-14-14, em três meses, apresentou os melhores resultados, impactando positivamente a produção da palmeira areca, tanto em altura quanto em cor da planta, atributos que aumentam o valor comercial do produto.

Abstract The areca palm is an ornamental plant widely used in Brazil for decoration and landscaping. The proper use of fertilizers and balanced fertilization are among the main factors that promote the rapid development of these plants and affect their technical and economic aspects. Because of the need to elucidate areca palm nutrition, this study aimed to evaluate the use of mineral (conventional or controlled release), organic, or organomineral fertilizers in the production of areca palm in pots. The experiment was conducted for a year under a 70% shading screen using a completely randomized design, with seven treatments and six replications. The treatments consisted of different fertilizers: control: no fertilizer; mineral: 10-10-10; controlled release mineral: 14-14-14, mineral with 50% N and K release controls: 16-06-18, mineral: 13-05-13, organomineral: 16-06-09, and organic. The experiment consisted of measuring the vertical height of the plant and determining the Falker Chlorophyll Index (FCI) a and b. All fertilizers used in the experiment provided gains in growth and green color (Chlorophyll Index) in the areca palm grown in pots relative to the absence of fertilization. The three-month controlled-release fertilizer treatment produced the best results, positively impacting the areca palm production, both in terms of plant height and color, which are attributes that increase the product’s commercial value.

ABSTRACT There is little information about the problems that occur in the commercialization of roses (Rosa spp.) in Brazil, especially those from postharvest management. There is scarce research about the conditions of transportation of roses from the farm to the market and their storage. This study investigated the postharvest conditions and commercialization of roses at CEAGESP (Companhia de Entrepostos e Armazéns Gerais de São Paulo) Flower Wholesale, especially the perception of the permission holders about the customer's profile and the main challenges faced by them in selling their products. A questionnaire was applied to 48 permission holders in order to understand the main issues in the rose supply chain, related to their commercialization: shipping, storage and origin, as well as the water quality in the flowerpot in addition to the measurement of the temperature of the water used in the marketing and the interior of the vehicle used for transport. Some bacteria species can obstruct the xylem of the cut flowers, reducing their longevity. In this way, the number of bacteria was estimated in the water where the roses were kept during the commercialization in the market place. Twenty-five samples (50 mL) from the water in the rose flowerpots were collected to estimate the number of bacteria. Serial dilutions of each sample were prepared to evaluate the bacterial population. The most commercialized rose varieties at CEAGESP Flower Wholesale are “Carolla” and “Tinike”. The main postharvest disease observed in these roses was gray rot (Botrytis cinerea) and pest-mite (Tetranycus urticae). On average, water from deep wells (4.0 × 105 CFU mL−1) had less number of bacteria than water river (5.15 × 105 CFU mL−1) and tap water (1.0 × 106 CFU mL−1).