Coberturas de solo melhoram o crescimento e produção de alface roxa

Abstract

Soil cover can bring benefits to lettuce cultivation in environments with high temperatures, as it can contribute to improving the physical, chemical and biological attributes of the soil by reducing temperature, increasing the water infiltration rate and reducing weed competition. in the area. Various organic materials can be an alternative for soil cover, but it is important to analyze the efficiency of their use. Thus, this study was carried out to evaluate the growth and production of red lettuce in different soil covers. The study was carried out in the experimental area of the Farm School of the Federal Institute of Piauí - Uruçuí Campus, in randomized blocks, with four replications and five soil cover treatments, being rice straw, wood dust, chicken litter, sugarcane bagasse -de-sugar and the witness (without coverage). The analyzed variables were soil temperature, number of leaves, plant height, shoot dry mass and productivity. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means compared by Tukey's test at 5% probability. The analyzed variables showed a significant difference in the treatments with and without the adoption of soil cover. The use of cover reduced the average temperature of the soil and promoted an increase in the growth and production of red lettuce. On the other hand, there was no difference in plant height. The use of chicken manure was the most efficient coverage, as it promoted a greater number of lettuce leaves, shoot dry matter and greater productivity