RESUMO A cobertura do solo com materiais de origem vegetal é uma prática cultural tradicional na cultura do alho, especialmente entre pequenos produtores. O uso de alho-semente livre de vírus é uma tecnologia recente utilizada em várias regiões produtoras de alho do Brasil, por possibilitar a exploração do máximo potencial produtivo dos cultivares. O experimento foi desenvolvido de maio a setembro de 2018, em campo, com o objetivo de avaliar o uso da cobertura morta em cultivares de alho precoce em condições semiáridas. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos casualizados com quatro repetições, em parcelas subdivididas. As parcelas foram representadas pelos tratamentos com e sem cobertura morta, e as subparcelas pelos cultivares de alho livre de vírus (Araguari, Cateto Roxo, Canela de Ema, Centralina, Gravatá) e infectado Branco Mossoró. A cobertura morta do solo não influencia na altura e número de folhas, porém promove aumentos na produtividade total e comercial dos cultivares, com destaque para Gravatá, indicando que o uso dessa prática é importante na obtenção de bulbos com maior valor comercial; Os cultivares Branco Mossoró, Canela de Ema e Centralina com, maior número de bulbilhos por bulbo, são mais indicados para as condições climáticas da região. | ABSTRACT Soil cover with plant residues is a traditional cultural practice in garlic crops, mainly among small producers. Virus-free garlic seeds is a recent technology used in several garlic producing regions of Brazil; it enables the maximum exploration of the productive potential of cultivars. A field experiment was developed from May to September 2018 with the objective of evaluating the use of mulching in early garlic cultivars in semiarid conditions. A randomized block experimental design was used, with a split-plot arrangement and four replications; the plots consisted of treatments with and without mulch in the plots, and the subplots consisted virus-free garlic cultivars (Araguari, Cateto Roxo, Canela de Ema, Centralina, and Gravatá) and an infected cultivar (Branco Mossoró). The soil mulch did not affect the plant height and number of leaves, but promoted increases in total and commercial yields of the cultivars, especially the Gravatá, indicating that the use of this practice is important to obtain bulbs with higher commercial value; the cultivars Branco Mossoró, Canela de Ema, and Centralina had higher number of cloves per bulb and, thus, are more indicated for the climatic conditions of the region.

ABSTRACT In the Brazilian semi-arid region, water deficit is one of the main factors that compromise the growth and productive yield of crops, including yellow passion fruit, due to the limitation of carbon assimilation by the photosynthetic activity of plants. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the soil with technologies that can reduce the loss of water in the soil and mitigate the effects of water deficit on yellow passion fruit plants cultivated under semi-arid conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the application of hydrogel doses and mulching to the soil on the physiological aspects of irrigated yellow passion fruit cultivation. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design, in a 5 × 2 factorial scheme, referring to five doses of hydrogel (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 g dm−3 of soil) in soil without and with mulching from signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens L.). The variables analyzed were chlorophyll indices, fluorescence (initial, maximum and variable) and gas exchange. The total chlorophyll index was increased with the application of 1.5 g dm−3 of hydrogel and the use of mulching; when applying hydrogel doses of 2.0 g dm−3 the photosynthetic rate of yellow passion fruit plants increased, whereas their transpiration rate increased with the use of mulching and doses of hydrogel; as a consequence, there was a reduction in water use efficiency.