Produção do coqueiro-anão-verde em diferentes espaçamentos de plantio em Maxaranguape / RN.

Abstract

Coconut palm cultivation is of great relevance worldwide, as it has the capacity to generate income for farmers due to its multiple uses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different crop spacing on the production of the green dwarf coconut in the coastal region of Rio Grande Do Norte, Brazil. The study was conducted between August and December 2024 in a seven-year-old commercial orchard at Fazenda Redentor, located in the municipality of Maxaranguape-RN. In the study, two areas of green dwarf coconut plants were planted both using different crop spacing. In the first area, 240 plants were planted on 1.2 hectares with a spacing of 8 x 6 meters. In the second area, 238 plants were planted on 1.1 hectares with a spacing of 7 x 7 meters. Twelve plants in each area were studied to determine the effects of the crop spacing. The plants were evaluated for growth, including leaves and flowers, the quantity of coconuts produced, and the amount of water produced by each plant. During the study, the green dwarf coconut plants were evaluated every 21 days, and the crop was maintained using local practices in order to keep it free from weeds, pests, and diseases. At the end of the study, it was discovered that the green dwarf coconut plants in both areas performed well. There was little difference between the plants in the first area versus the plants in the second area. Thus, it can be concluded that planting spacing in a quadratic arrangement, either 8 x 6 m or 7 x 7m, did not influence in the production and can be considered a good alternative for managing agriculture machinery during the coconut palm productive phase.

Key words: Coconut palm, cultivation, crop spacing, green dwarf coconut plant.