Desempenho da palma mexicana no sistema de cultivo sobre o solo com o uso de irrigação manual.

Abstract

Forage palm, originally from Mexico, is a rustic plant with excellent development capacity in areas with low rainfall. This research aims to evaluate the performance of the Mexican palm variety under irrigation in the over-ground cropping system (SCSS). The experiment began on August 12, 2022, and the results presented correspond to the first three months, as they are preliminary. The study was conducted at the UFCG campus, in Cuité, PB, using a randomized block experimental design. The treatments consist of T1 - Control (without irrigation), T2 - 1 liter, T3 - 2 liters and T4 - 3 liters of water, with irrigation using low quality water (C4S4), from a natural source on campus. The variables analyzed include root emission and fixation, number of cladodes and leaf area of the cladodes. The results indicate that irrigation, even with low quality water, promoted greater emission and root fixation in a shorter period compared to the control, which did not receive irrigation. It is concluded that the on-soil cultivation system is economically viable, and irrigation contributes positively to the performance of Mexican palm, favoring the emission of roots and the emergence of new cladodes in a reduced period.