The effect of a mulching on the productivity of sunflower under rainfed conditions
2003
Barros, J.F.C. | Carvalho, M. de | Basch, G. (Evora Univ. (Portugal))
A field trial was carried out over two years (1992/93 and 1994/95) to evaluate the effects of tillage systems and mulching (cereal straw) on the productivity of sunflower under rainfed conditions. Two different tillage systems, consisting in traditional tillage, based on the mouldboard plough and direct drilling were tested with the last one subdivided in two treatments: with and without mulching. The sunflower variety used was Florasol and seeding was realized in the beginning of February. There was a significant interaction between years and tillage systems. In the first year (1992/93), direct drilling with mulching provided lower yields than the two others treatments. In the second year (1994/95), there were no signicant differences between direct drilling with and without mulching on the surface, but still between both direct drilling treatments and traditional tillage. Mulching did not increase uptake by the crop, probebly due to the long periods without rainfall during the growing cycle. Mulching increased the soil water content and seeding, creating creates problems of soil compaction, namely under the wet conditions, of the early seeding dates, which are the more productive ones
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