SOIL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR SUSTAINABLE MELON CROPPING IN THE SUBMEDIAN OF THE SÃO FRANCISCO VALLEY

Authors

  • Vanderlise Giongo Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Petrolina, PE
  • Alessandra Monteiro Salviano Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Petrolina, PE
  • Mônica da Silva Santana Department of Nuclear Energy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE
  • Nivaldo Duarte Costa Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Petrolina, PE
  • Jony Eishi Yuri Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Petrolina, PE

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-21252016v29n303rc

Keywords:

Cucumis melo L. Green manure. No-tillage. Soil cover.

Abstract

Changes in soils management systems, including the application of green manure, are able to increase crop productivity. The aim of this study was to propose a soil management system with the use of green manure to improve the nutritional status and melon productivity in the submedian of the São Francisco Valley. The experiment was installed in Typic Plinthustalf and conducted in split plot. There were two soil tillage systems, tillage (T) and no tillage (NT), and three types of green manure (two vegetal cocktails: VC1- 75% legumes (L) + 25% non-legumes (NL); VC2- 25% L+ 75% NL and spontaneous vegetation (SV)). The experimental design was a randomised block with four replications. Fourteen species of legumes, grasses and oilseeds were used for the composition of the plant cocktails. We evaluated production of the dry shoot and root biomass and carbon and nutrient accumulation by green manures and melon plant. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and the treatment means were compared by Tukey´s test (P<0.05). Shoot biomass production and carbon and nutrient accumulation were higher in plant mixtures compared to spontaneous vegetation. The root system of the plant cocktails added larger quantities of biomass and nutrients to the soil to a depth of 0.60 m when compared to the spontaneous vegetation. The cultivation of plant cocktails with soil tillage, regardless of their composition, is a viable alternative for adding biomass and nutrients to the soil in melon crops in semi-arid conditions, providing productivity increases.

Author Biographies

  • Vanderlise Giongo, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Petrolina, PE
    PESQUISADORA DA EMBRAPA SEMIÁRIDO ÁREA MANEJO E CONSERVAÇÃO DO SOLO LINHAS DE PESQUISA: - TECNOLOGIAS PARA UMA AGRICULTURA DE BAIXA EMISSÃO DE CARBONO - ESTOQUE E DINÂMICA DE CARBONO E NITROGÊNIO NO SEMIÁRIDO
  • Alessandra Monteiro Salviano, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Petrolina, PE
    Fertilidade do Solo e Nutrição de Plantas
  • Mônica da Silva Santana, Department of Nuclear Energy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE
    Bióloga e Mestre em Tecnologias Energéticas e Nucleares
  • Nivaldo Duarte Costa, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Petrolina, PE
    Fitotecnia
  • Jony Eishi Yuri, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Petrolina, PE
    Fitotecnia

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Published

20-07-2016

Issue

Section

Agronomy