Resposta do cacaueiro a aplicacao de fertilizantes e corretivos nas condicoes da Amazonia, 1: Crescimento e producao inicial

The response of cacao to fertilizers and soil amendments was determined in NPK 2 exponent 3 factorial experiments with additional treatments of liming, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, micronutrients and organic manures. Soils units used were terra roxa estruturada (TRE), red yellow podzolic (PVA) and yellow latosol (LA), representative of the new plantings areas of cacao in the amazon basin. Results indicated that there was no response of cacao to fertilizers and soil amendments in the terra roxa estruturada and red yellow podzolic soils. Phosphorus was the main limiting factor to the growth of cacao in the yellow latosol, followed by a positive NP interaction. The negative NK interaction observed suggested that there was an intensive leaching of nitrogen and specially potassium in this soil. Growth response curves of cacao showed that the best dosage of P was around 120 kg/ha of P2O5. The split application of NPK or the application of organic manures in the planting hole followed by annual broadcast of NPK gave the best growth of cacao in the yellow latosol. Yield of cacao between two and three year of age showed similar trend in the terra roxa and yellow latosol.