Sistema plantio direto de repolho sob diferentes plantas de cobertura

Abstract

The no-tillage in vegetable system is an alternative that needs to be studied to improve sustainability in the production system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of different cover crop species in nutrient cycling and cabbage productivity in a notillage system. The study was developed in the experimental area of the Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Cerro Largo campus, RS, throughout the first and second semesters of 2024. With a randomized block experimental design, the following cover crops were used: Sudan grass, millet, jack bean, pigeon pea, and fallow. The dry matter (DM) production of the cover crops, nutrient concentration in the aerial part of the species, and cabbage productivity were evaluated. The results of the experiment were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) in which the means were compared by Tukey's test at 5% significance. Sudan grass showed greater biomass production and higher concentrations of carbon, phosphorus, sulfur, and zinc in the aerial part of the plant. The highest nitrogen content was found in pigeon pea. The highest concentration of calcium was identified in jack bean. Millet had the highest concentrations of potassium and micronutrients, such as boron, copper, iron and manganese. Furthermore, the highest productivity of cabbage in millet stands out. The number of heads per ha and the effective production of heads (%) in the treatments did not differ. Therefore, the use of different cover crops as an alternative for the no-till system of vegetables.