Organic cabbage growth using green manure in pre-cultivation and organic top dressing fertilization

Abstract

ABSTRACT The experiment was conducted in (Integrated Agroecological Production System in Seropedica-RJ) Sistema Integrado de Produção Agroecológica (SIPA), Seropédica-RJ, to evaluate the effect of two maize populations in relation to baby corn productivity and shoot mass, to determine the contribution of pre-cultivated maize, green velvet and organic topdressing fertilization in the agronomic performance of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata). The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks with three treatments (maize population of 100,000 and 200,000 plants ha-1 and green velvet at 100,000 plants ha-1) and eight replicates. After that, cabbage was transplanted in the straw of these species, adopting a randomized block design allocated in split plots, totalizing six treatments, being three pre-cultivation practices and two organic topdressing fertilization doses (with or without 50 g fermented organic compost per planting hole). Considering “baby corn” productivity, no differences were observed compared to maize populations, with an average productivity of 822.5 kg ha-1. Green velvet pre-cultivation obtained the highest shoot dry mass (8.4 t ha-1). Cabbage crop was improved by green velvet pre-cultivation, reaching 60.7 t ha-1 and organic topdressing fertilization, reaching 60.4 t ha-1; however, in the presence of green velvet straw, topdressing fertilization did not promote additional yield benefit of this crop. Thus, we noticed that green manure using green velvet increased cabbage productivity, submitted to organic management, when compared to maize pre-cultivation, making it able to replace organic topdressing fertilization.