The diseases caused by soil pathogens have brought severe losses to black pepper because of plant premature death. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the production of black pepper (Piper nigrum) clonal cuttings in commercial substrate fertilized with five doses of controlled-release fertilizer. It was evaluated three genotypes 'Guajarina', 'Iaçará' and 'Cingapura', cultivated in plastic bags filled up with commercial substrate composed by pinus bark and vermiculite (without soil) fertilized with five doses of controlled-release fertilizer of the formula NPK 15-09-12: 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 kg m-3. At 120 days after transplanting, the results showed growth differences among genotypes for all parameters, except plant height. The controlled-release fertilizer doses interfered on plants growth, but the interaction genotype x doses was observed only for leaf number, root dry matter and total dry matter. The highest values for total dry matter were recorded for cv. Guajarina, while cv. Cingapura showed the lowest value. The highest values for total dry matter of black pepper cuttings were obtained with the doses 4.4 kg m-3 for 'Guajarina'; 6.4 kg m-3 for 'Iaçará' and 5.3 kg m-3 for 'Cingapura'.
Piper nigrum L.; mineral nutritional of plants; total dry matter
