Antioxidant capacity in relation to nutrition, stomatal density, and yield of carrot (Daucus carota L.) fertilized with bleaching soil compost.

Abstract

In Peru, oil production is related to the gastronomic boom; consequently, consumption has increased in recent years, which has led to an increase in bleaching earth waste that often lacks proper final disposal. Reason, an investigation was conducted on the antioxidant capacity in relation to the nutrition, stomatal density, and yield of carrots fertilized with bleaching earth-based compost (BEBC). The objective was to determine the antioxidant capacity in relation to the nutritional, stomatal density, and higher yield of the carrot fertilized with BEBC. Methodology was applied with an experimental approach, as the completely randomized block design statistical model was used, with three blocks and five treatments: T1 with 0, T2 with 3, T3 with 3.6, T4 with 4.2, and T5 with 4.8 t ha-1 of BEBC, applied 30 days after planting. The physical characteristics (total plant length, root size, root diameter, storage root weight, and commercial yield) were evaluated. The concentration of nutrients (nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, chlorides, sodium) and the antioxidant capacity of the leaves were determined. The total consumption of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium was determined, and the stomatal density in leaves and profitability were evaluated. Results highlighted T5 in total plant length with 48.76 cm, root size with 16.75 cm, root diameter with 5.03 cm, storage root weight with 238.33 g, and commercial yield with 37.264 t ha-1. Total nitrogen consumption with 183.4 kg ha-1, total phosphorus pentoxide consumption with 52.21 kg ha-1, total potassium oxide consumption with 822.74 kg ha-1, and profitability with 139.8%. T3 stood out in leaf nutrient analysis with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, and chlorides. In antioxidant capacity with 3,521.8 μMol trolox 100 g and in stomatal density T1 with 245 stomata mm-2. It concludes that T5, with an adequate antioxidant capacity of 2,907.5 μmol Trolox/100 g and a concentration of sulfur, iron, and sodium in leaves associated with a lower stomatal density (110 stomata mm-2), favored the efficiency of transpiration, the formation and translocation of carbohydrates to the storage root; moreover, it contributed to the balance of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which strengthened and maximized the crop yield.