Coberturas de solo e planta podem estimular o crescimento e a produção da alface sob radiação elevada?

Abstract

Lettuce cultivation in locations with high levels of radiation and temperature requires the use of management techniques that promote significant gains in its productivity. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the productivity of lettuce subjected to different soil covers with organic and synthetic material, as well as the plant with colored agrotextile, under the conditions of the semi-arid region of Paraíba. The experiment was conducted from October to December 2024 at the "Rolando Enriques Ribas Castellón" Experimental Farm of the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), in São Domingos – PB, using the Elba lettuce cultivar of the curly group, cultivated at a spacing of 0.20 x 0.20 m. The treatments were distributed in a randomized block design in a 3 x 4 factorial scheme, with four replications, and derived from the combination of the following factors: three soil covers (black synthetic mulch, shredded carnauba straw, and bare soil) and plant cover with four colors of agrotextile (white, red, yellow, and green). The following characteristics were evaluated: dry mass of leaf, stem, root, and total mass; shoot/root ratio; leaf area; specific leaf area; leaf area ratio; leaf weight ratio; absolute growth rate; number of leaves per plant; shoot fresh mass; and total productivity. The results showed a significant interaction effect between soil cover and agrotextile color on the plants. The use of carnauba straw combined with white agrotextile covering the plant provided the highest values for leaf and total dry mass, leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf area ratio, absolute growth rate, shoot fresh mass, and productivity. Conversely, lettuce cultivation with red agrotextile in bare soil stood out with the highest values for stem dry mass, root dry mass, number of leaves, and leaf weight ratio. The shoot/root ratio in lettuce was mainly favored by cultivation with carnauba straw on the soil combined with green agrotextile covering the plants. In general, soil covering with synthetic mulch showed lower efficiency for the evaluated characteristics.