Poultry manure and pine bark (Pinus taeda) are by-products readily available in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. These by-products can be used as soil amendments to improve soil fertility and soil physical and chemical properties. Inter-specific hybrid squash cv. 'Tetsukabuto' (Cucurbita maxima x C. moschata), squash cv. 'Exposição' (Cucurbita maxima), and cucumber cv 'Caipira' (Cucumis sativus) are three of the most cultivated cucurbits in Santa Catarina. The effect of rates (0 to 50 g.kg-1 of soil) of poultry manure (2.82% N; 2.53% P; 1.2% K; 2.5% Ca; 0.5% Mg) and pine bark (0.30% N; 0.10% P; 0.12% K; 0.21% Ca; 0.03% Mg) incorporated into the soil, was evaluated on plant growth and yield of squash and cucumber. The greenhouse and field tests were conducted in a completely randomized block design with four or five treatments and four to eight replications. In greenhouse, poultry manure at doses of 30 g kg-1 of soil (corresponding to ~3 kg.m-2) increased the number (~15-50%) and the fresh mass (~90-200%) of emerging plants of squash cv. 'Exposição' and cucumber cv. 'Caipira'. Soil pH and soil concentration of Ca, K, Mg, Mn, N, P, and Zn increased with increasing poultry manure doses. The increase of pine bark dose applied to the soil reduced (~27%) the levels of mineral nitrogen. In field trials, poultry manure and pine bark increased the emergence (~15%) of cucumber seedlings. The fruit yield of squash cv. 'Tetsukabuto' and cucumber cv. 'Caipira' increased (~120%) with the incorporation of poultry manure to the soil at the doses of 30 g kg-1 (corresponding to ~3 kg m-2).
Cucurbita spp.; Cucumis sativus; organic residues; fertilization
