Production of Beauregard Sweet Potato in vertical farming under different fertilization technologies

Abstract

Ipomoea batatas, popularly known as sweet potato, is a species of the Convolvulaceae family, with probable origin between Mexico and northern South America. Among the genotypes with economic potential, the biofortified cultivar Beauregard (Ipomoea batatas) stands out due to its rusticity and easy handling. Controlled-release fertilizers were mostly used in studies developed in other countries, and their study being necessary in Brazilian soil and climatic conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the development of Beauregard biofortified cultivar, submitted to different fertilization technologies in vertical farming system. The plantlets received different doses of controlled-release fertilizer: 0.0 (control); 30; 60; 90; 120g and a dose of 40g per pit of NPK 13-13-28 of ready solubility. At 180 days, biometric and production parameter data were collected and submitted to regression analysis and variance analysis followed by the Scott-Knott test for mean separation. The application of controlled-release fertilizer showed a positive effect on the production of the studied cultivar, favoring the performance of the plants and promoting the increase especially in height, length of branches and number of leaves. The base application of controlled-release fertilizer at a dose of 30g per plant and traditional NPK fertilizer at a dose of 40g per plant promote higher yields of dry mass of shoots and root when compared to unfertilized plants in the cultivation of sweet potatoes in vertical farming.