Pyroligneous extract doses in orchids culture

Pyroligneous extract has been used in the cultivation of plants for various purposes in agriculture such as improvement of plant development, organic fertilization, soil conditioner and root induction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the use of different doses of pyroligneous extract in the cultivation of the orchid Cattleya loddigesii Lindl. In vitro propagated plants were used, grown in pots containing a substrate composed of coconut fiber, pine bark and carbonized rice husk (1:1:1 v/v/v). Irrigation was carried out manually, twice a week in the fall and winter and three times a week in spring and summer. The treatments were as follows:: 0 (control); 0.1; 0.2; 0.3; 0.4; 0.5 and 0.6%, which corresponded to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 mL.L- 1 of pyroligneous extract, respectively, which were applied using the product diluted in water at the volume of 50 mL per pot every 30 days. After 12 months from the beginning of the experiment, the following were evaluated: height of aerial part, number of buds, number of leaves, number of pseudobulbs, length of the longest root, number of roots,largest leaf length, total fresh mass, aerial part dry mass part, and substrate pH. The leaf chemical analysis was performed for the following elements: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. It was observed that the application of pyroligneous extract was effective in the cultivation of Cattleya loddigesii Lindl, being recommended the dose of 0.6%.