Poultry manure increases soil fertility, growth and nutritional status of yerba mate seedlings

Contextualization: The use of organic fertilizers from agricultural industry residues is an alternative as a nutritional source in agroforestry cultures, mainly due to the slow release of nutrients. The leaf biomass production is essential for yerba mate production, which demands adequate nutritional management to maintain productivity and soil fertility. Knowledge gap: Most yerba mate is produced with the use of mineral fertilizers, and there are no records of how organic fertilization with poultry manure could influence plants growth, nutritional status, and soil fertility. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the influence of organic fertilization on soil fertility, growth, and nutritional status of yerba mate seedlings. Methodology: Two clonal cultivars of yerba mate (BRS408 and BRS409) were subjected to three fertilization doses with poultry manure (0, 20, and 35 g dm-3). The study was established in a factorial design, in a randomized block design with four replications. After 210 days, pH, organic matter content, availability of P, K, Ca, and Mg in the soil were analyzed. In addition, plants were evaluated in the same period for growth and leaf content of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S. Data were subjected to ANOVA and Tukey test for means comparison. Results and conclusions: Organic fertilization positively influenced soil characteristics and yerba mate seedlings growth, with significant differences in the response of each clone. The use of 20 g dm-3 of poultry manure is recommended for yerba mate seedlings production.