Colored Tubes and Chlorella Vulgaris Bioinput Improve Growth and Quality of <i>Hancornia speciosa</i> Seedlings

Hancornia speciosa ‘Gomes’, commonly known as mangabeira, is a fruit-bearing tree native to Brazil that plays a crucial role in sustaining its native biome, restoring degraded areas, and improving the socio-environmental conditions of these regions. The use of colored materials and bioinputs can help improve the quality of seedling production of Hancornia speciosa. This study aimed to evaluate the use of colored seedling tubes and a Chlorella vulgaris-based bioinput in developing Hancornia speciosa seedlings. The experiment was conducted at the Mato Grosso do Sul State University (UEMS), in Cassilândia, MS, using a completely randomized design in a 5 × 2 factorial arrangement. Treatments included colored reflective tubes (blue, white, red, yellow, and black) and bioinput application (absence or presence). The Hancornia speciosa seeds were collected near the Cassilândia campus and the Chlorella vulgaris-based bioinput was produced at the Microalgae and Biotechnology Laboratory of the Centro de Desenvolvimento Sustentável do Bolsão Sul-Mato-Grossense (CEDESU). The bioinput was applied at sowing and after 30, 60 and 90 days after emergence (DAE), totalizing three applications. An increase in plant height, number of leaves, chlorophyll a and total, CO2 assimilation rate, water use efficiency was observed. The combination of tube color and the presence of the Chlorella vulgaris bioinput significantly improved biometric traits, seedling quality index, chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll content, and CO2 concentration, thus enhancing the seedling quality and potentially increasing field establishment and survival rates.