The production of heart-of-palm of peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth), both main shoot and first offshoot, was evaluated using different sources (organic and inorganic) and schedules of fertilization on an OXISOL in Central Amazonia. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with three repetitions, with a 2 x 7 factorial, with types of plant (spineless and spiny, Yurimaguas, Peru germplasm) and different forms of fertilization (control without fertilizer; manure in the planting pit (25 t/ha); mineral fertilizer in the planting pit (225-90-180 kg.ha-1 N-P2O5-K2O); manure spread one month after planting (25 t..ha-1); mineral fertilizer spread one month after planting (225-90-180 kg.ha-1); manure in the pit (12,5 t.ha-1) + mineral fertilizer spread after planting (112,5-45-90 kg.ha-1); and mineral fertilizer divided in three applications (in the planting pit 75 kg.ha-1 N, 90 kg.ha-1 P2O5, 60 kg.ha-1 K2O + two applications de 75 kg ha-1 N, 60 kg.ha-1 K2O), each repeated in the 2º and 3º years by broadcasting). The application of both organic and mineral fertilizers increased pH and available soil nutrient concentrations. The production of heart-of-palm of the main shoot and the first offshoot for spineless (1407 kg.ha-1) and spiny (1037 kg.ha-1) was similar for the main shoot and different for the offshoot. The treatments with manure (main plant 1551 kg ha-1 and off-shoots 3004 kg ha-1), and manure in the pit + mineral fertilizer spread (main stem 1545 kg.ha-1 and off-shoots 2986 kg.ha-1) were most productive. After 40 months the control did not produce heart-of-palm.
Bactris gasipaes; Main shoot; Offshoot; Fertilization; Heart-of-palm yield
