EFFECT OF ALTERNATIVE AND ROOTING MULCHING ON THE YIELD OF CV-TYPE CURLY LETTUCE. ELBE

Abstract

Lettuce is the most consumed vegetable by the Brazilian population, however, its cultivation faces significant challenges. Among the main obstacles in the production process, the high rate of soil evaporation, which induces water stress to the plants, and the limited rooting capacity of the crop stand out, as factors that compromise its agronomic performance in the field. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the use of alternative mulching (white TNT) and rooting on the yield of curly lettuce, cultivar Elba. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, 2 x 2 factorial scheme. The treatments consisted of: bare soil with and without a rooter, and soil protected with white TNT with and without a rooter. Fresh and dry shoot and root mass, head diameter, and yield were evaluated. The results showed that the treatment with soil without cover and with the use of a rooter obtained better performance, inferring that the rooter contributes positively to the initial growth and yield of lettuce. It is concluded that the rooter is an effective tool in crop management, and the bare soil, although it has presented significant prominence, can be used depending on the cultivation conditions.