CARACTERÍSTICAS AGRONÔMICAS DE MUDAS DE CANA-DE-AÇÚCAR INOCULADAS COM FUSARIUM SP. E TRATADAS COM METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE.

Abstract

The cultivation of sugar cane is extremely important for the economy of the State of Paraíba, being fundamental for the generation of jobs and bioenergy. Despite this, the crop faces phytosanitary challenges, such as the occurrence of the sugarcane borer and stem rot, which cause significant losses in sugar and ethanol production. Stem rot control is commonly done by applying fungicides. Therefore, the use of entomopathogenic fungi, such as Metarhizium anisopliae, can be a strategy for biological control of sugarcane rot. In this way, the effect of M. anisopliae on the growth of sugarcane in interaction with the pathogen Fusarium spp. was evaluated. The work was conducted at the Regional Development Technology Center, at the Federal University of Paraíba. The research was carried out in a completely randomized design, with four treatments and five replications, totaling 20 pots, where the application of Control without application of Metarhizium and Fusarium (T0) was used; application of Metarhizium (T1); application of Metarhizium and Fusarium (T2); and application of Fusarium (T3). The height and thickness of the stems and number of leaves at 21, 42 and 62 days after planting. The fresh and dry weights of the roots and shoots, and the length of the sugarcane roots at the end of the experiment were evaluated. Assessments of the effect of the biocontrol agent made it possible to identify which plants treated with Metarhizium (T1) had the greatest height compared to plants inoculated with Fusarium (T4). Plants treated with Metarhizium and Fusarium (T2) had the greatest thickness up to 42 days, in addition to the greatest number of leaves, and the highest average fresh weight of the roots. The application of Metarhizium (T1) resulted in higher fresh and dry weights of the aerial part of the plants.