EFFECTS OF PLANTING POSITION AND Azospirillum brasilense APPLICATION ON THE SPROUT AND AGRONOMIC TRAITS OF CASSAVA (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

The present work aimed to evaluate the effect of the seedling position and Azospirillum brasilense application on the initial development of cassava. The assay was conduced following a completely randomized experimental design, with factorial arrangement (planting positions [horizontal (HP) and vertical (PV)] and the A. brasilense [with (+Azos) and without (-Azos)]). The sprouting percentage (SP) was evaluated from 11 to 35 days after planting (DAP). After 30 DAP, the following variables were evaluated: sprouts number (SN), sprouts height (SH), number of leaflets (NL), length of leaflets (LL), and vegetative vigor (VV). Cassava plants positioning significantly influenced the initial growth. PV promotes a greater sprouting, 63% in 17 DAP, over the PH which was only 3% of the visible shoots during the same period. Here we show for the first time that PV promoted the highest values ​​combined with -Azos in the variables SH (an increase of 17%) and VV (an increase of 61%). The PH, in combination with +Azos, stimulated the NL in 20%. The sub-division into three VV groups allowed identify the existence of differences among the treatments which were not seen in an independent ANOVA being VV an important variable for the initial growth evaluation in cassava.