Effect of Covering Plants on Vegetative Development of Irrigated Onion Cultivars in Dourados/MS

Abstract

The culture of the onion occupies place of importance among the vegetables cultivated in Brazil, standing out like alternative of generation of income and fixation of the man in the field. In addition, the use of hedge plants in the cultivation of vegetables brings benefits in relation to the soil in the physical, chemical and biological characteristics, with a direct impact on the improvement of the economic crops development. The objective was to evaluate the vegetative development of onion cultivars under the cultivation of different cover plants. The experiment was developed at ​​Irrigation Area, at the Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Dourados-MS. The experimental design was randomized blocks subdividedin plots, with four replications, using five cultivation systems: control (spontaneous vegetation); onion cultivation in succession to Millet; onion cultivation in succession to Brazilian broad bean; onion cultivation in succession to Bengal velvet bean; onion cultivation in succession to Crotalaria juncea and two hybrid onion cultivars (Andromeda and Aquarius). The objective was to evaluate pseudocaule diameter (mm) and pseudocaule length (cm). Cover plants influenced the vegetative development of onion cultivars. Crotalaria juncea, Brazilian broad bean and millet promoted the largest increases in the diameter of onion pseudocaule in both cultivars evaluated. The cultivar Andromeda showed values of pseudocaule length superior to Aquarius cultivar in succession to millet and to the control treatment. The cultivar Aquarius obtained the highest length values of onion pseudocaule in cultivation with succession to green manures in detriment to the cultivation with the control treatment.