Semi-Arid Lettuce Growth: Hairy Woodrose & Carnauba Straw Mix | InformativeBD

Geovanna Alicia Dantas Gomes, Paulo César Ferreira Linhares, Karen Geovana da Silva Carlos, Roberto Pequeno de Sousa, Janilson Pinheiro de Assis, Luiz João Rebouças de Souza, Ana Patricia Silva Maia, Luciane Karine Guedes de Oliveira, Maria Elisa da Costa Souza, Walter Rodrigues Martins, Eudes de Almeida Cardoso, and Hiago Alves Moreira, from the different institute of the Brazil. wrote a research article about, Semi-Arid Lettuce Growth: Hairy Woodrose & Carnauba Straw Mix, entitled, “Mixture of hairy woodrose (Merremia aegyptia L.) with carnauba straw (Copernicia prunifera) in the productivity of lettuce in the semi-arid region of Brazil”. This research paper published by the International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research | IJAAR. an open access scholarly research journal on Agronomy under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences | INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

The use of mixtures of organic fertilizers present in the cultivation areas is of paramount importance for farmers who produce in the family farming system, in this sense, the objective was to study the mixture of hairy woodrose (Merremia aegyptia L.) with carnauba straw (Copernicia prunifera) in the productivity of lettuce in the semi-arid region from Brazil. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse in the experimental area of the Department of Agronomic and Forestry Sciences. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design in a 5 x 2 factorial scheme, with three replications. The first factor consisted of five amounts of the mixture of jitirana with carnauba straw (0.0; 1.5; 3.0; 4.5 and 6.0kg m-2 of area), and the second factor for the forms of application to the soil (embedded and cover). The lettuce cultivar planted was crespa, which is widely sold in the semi-arid region of Brazil. The evaluated characteristics were: Plant height, diameter, number of leaves, lettuce production and dry mass. The research results showed that the amount of 4.5kg m contributed to the increase of the evaluated characteristics, with values of 115 and 11.97g plant-1. The use of a mixture of organic fertilizers (hairy woodrose and carnauba straw) was extremely effective in the production of vegetable crops, bringing agronomic advantages to the producer.

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Introduction

Aiming at an agroecological production, many researchers and farmers seek a sustainable and diversified agriculture with systems of use with low chemical inputs (Altiere, 2002). According to Linhares et al. (2018) the use of organic sources in the region of Mossoró, RN, Brazil is of great importance for vegetable growers, with manure (beef, goat and poultry) as inputs, however, the dependence on these sources contributes to the increase of production costs, as farmers do not always have these resources available on their properties. 

Aiming at agroecological alternatives, many researchers have carried out research with farmers who seek sustainable agriculture with diversified systems with low use of chemical inputs (Altieri, 2002), which is of great value to farmers who work in the organic agriculture system. In these areas, where various vegetables are grown, lettuce (Lactuca sativum L.) is an annual herbaceous plant, originating in the Mediterranean, with a small, unbranched stem, to which the leaves attach (Santos et al., 2011) , being the most important leafy vegetable in the diet of the Brazilian people, consumed as a salad (Yuri et al., 2006). 

In the semi-arid region, organic fertilization is widely used in the production of lettuce (Linhares et al., 2022). The amount to be used depends on the quality of the available fertilizer and local conditions, soil, climate and management (Freire et al., 2013). However, when green manure is applied to the soil, it provides ideal edaphic conditions for greater vegetable production, given the productive potential of phytomass and nitrogen concentration of spontaneous species from the semi-arid region, compatible with legumes, such as hairy woodrose (Merremia aegyptia L.) (Linhares et al., 2021).

This species presents green and dry phytomass production in the order of 40000 and 6000kg ha-1, respectively, with an average nitrogen content of 23.0g kg-1 and a carbon-nitrogen ratio of 23/1, being quite prominent during the rainy season in the semiarid region and found in the cultivation areas of farmers who work in the production of vegetables in an organic system in the region of Mossoró, RN, Brazil (Linhares et al., 2021). 

Another species that is important in terms of use as an organic fertilizer is the carnauba tree (Copernicia prunifera L.), which occurs in the semi-arid region and is used by farmers in the production of vegetable crops (Linhares et al., 2014). 

Several scientific studies have shown the use of alternative organic sources in the semi-arid region to meet the nutritional needs of vegetable crops, such as coriander (Linhares et al., 2018a; Linhares et al., 2018b; Linhares et al., 2014a and Linhares et al., 2012), lettuce (Linhares 2009) carrot (Linhares et al., 2014b) and radish (Linhares et al., 2013).

In this sense, it is extremely important to use alternative organic sources that provide satisfactory edaphic conditions for the development of vegetable crops. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the mixture of hairy woodrose (Merremia aegyptia L.) with carnauba straw in the productivity of lettuce in the semi-arid region of Brazil.

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Source : Mixture of hairy woodrose (Merremia aegyptia L.) with carnauba straw (Copernicia prunifera) in the productivity of lettuce in the semi-arid region of Brazil