Produtividade de mandioca cultivar de brs novo horizonte em função do tipo de adubação verde em um período de 8 meses

Abstract

Brazil stands out among the top five cassava producers in the world. However, productivity varies across the national territory due to several factors, including the use of unsuitable varieties for the region, the employment of rudimentary methods, the use of plants susceptible to pests and diseases, and low productivity. This combination of factors results in the national average productivity being around 14,938 kg/ha of roots, while Bahia yields approximately 7,325 kg of roots per hectare. The use of conservationist management systems in cassava cultivation is of great importance because in conventional planting, the spacing between rows leaves the soil unprotected during the initial vegetative cycle of the plants. In this early stage, the plants have a low leaf area, which intensifies the occurrence of weed growth, soil quality deterioration, and intraspecific competition. Therefore, it is essential to maintain constant soil cover during the initial phase. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of using different types of cover crops/green manure on the yield of the BRS Novo Horizonte cultivar over an eight-month period. The experiment was conducted at the experimental field of the Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia, Cruz das Almas/Bahia, using a randomized block design with four treatments of combinations of preceding crops and one untreated control, with four replicates. It was conducted in a soil classified as "Latossolo Amarelo Álico Coeso," with a clay-sandy texture, under No-Tillage System (SPD). The soil cover treatments were as follows: 1. Corn (Zea mays) intercropped with Crotalaria juncea (Crotalaria juncea), 2. Corn (Zea mays) intercropped with Dwarf pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), 3. Corn (Zea mays) intercropped with Mucuna preta (Mucuna pruriens), 4 Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) with Crotalaria juncea (Crotalaria juncea), 5. No treatment – spontaneous plants (control). The evaluated parameters included the weight of the upper third, root diameter, number of roots, root length, root weight, and yield. The data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance, and treatment means were compared using the Scott-Knott test at a 5% probability level. There was no significant variation among the treatments, but it is worth noting that the average yield of the treatments was 28,789 Mg/ha, demonstrating that the intercropping of cover crops/green manure, in conjunction with the No-Tillage System (SPD), is a viable alternative compared to the national and state average yields and can be recommended as a management practice for the Recôncavo region of Bahia.