Remineralizador de basalto: potencial fonte de silício para o cultivo de maconha

Abstract

Brazil is a major agricultural producer, highly dependent on imported fertilizers, which makes it vulnerable. Therefore, this study seeks alternatives such as rockfill as a viable option for marijuana cultivation. Silicon (Si), although not considered essential for plant growth, has several fundamental benefits for production in regions that suffer from droughts, such as strengthening cell walls, increasing resistance to pests and diseases, and acting against abiotic stresses(drought, salinity, heavy metal toxicity). The experiment was conducted at the Brazilian Association for the Support of Cannabis Esperança (ABRACE). A completely randomized design was used with 4 treatments and 3 replicates, with a decrease in the levels of nutrient solution (100%; 80% and 60%), compared to the addition of a dose equivalent to 8 Mg/ha of basalt remineralizer (REM). After harvest, the leaves were analyzed for nutrient content. Treatments with basalt REM promoted a significant increase in Si accumulation in the leaves. The treatment without basalt REM was different (P≤0.05), with a lower Si concentration compared to the treatment with 100% fertigation + basalt REM. The inclusion of basalt REM in the substrate for marijuana cultivation positively increases silicon concentrations in the leaves and promotes biofortification of plants with greater resistance to pests and diseases. Basalt REM proved to be a sustainable and low-cost alternative for agriculture, especially in organic systems, such as the cultivation of marijuana for medicinal use.