Abstract
Due to its long production cycle, the Peruvian carrot has been cultivated on marginal land, resulting in low yields. Intercropping is an option for planting in better areas, but there is a lack of research on crop shade tolerance. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of period and intensity of artificial shading on mass partitioning and root yield on Peruvian carrot ‘Amarela de Carandaí’. The treatments were four shading intensities (18, 30 and 50% of shading with Sombrite® cover and full sun), imposed either from 30 to 120, or from 30 to 210, or from 120 to 210 days after planting (DAP), totaling 10 treatments at harvest (210 DAP), with four repetitions. Light restriction above 18% from 30–210 DAP and from 120–210 DAP reduced marketable root yield. The marketable root yield was less reduced when shading was imposed earlier (30–120 DAP) than later (120-210 DAP) on the growth cycle. Regarding light competition, Peruvian carrot should be intercropped with crops that promoted up to 50% of shading from 30-120 DAP, or up to 18% of shading from 120 to 210 or 30-120 DAP.
Highlights
Peruvian carrot (Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancroft) is a tuberous vegetable of long cultivation cycle that occupies the land for a period of 10 to 12 months (CASALI, 1984; GRANATE et al, 2007; SANTOS, 1997; SANTOS; CARMO, 1998)
In the evaluation carried out at 120 days after planting (DAP), the accumulation of dry matter (DM) in the plant organs, except for the petiole and absorbent roots, was significantly lower in plants under shading than under full sun (Table 2). These results demonstrate that the shading in the initial period of cultivation (30 at 120 DAP) influenced the growth of the plants, since they accumulated less DM in their organs and in the whole plant; non-significant in number, plants under higher intensities of shading presented, proportionally, a higher DM accumulation in the aerial part (DMAP/DMSP ratio), evidencing that there was a higher investment in the aerial structures, in search for light capture, a typical response of sun plants to light restriction (LARCHER, 2000)
These results are in accordance with those found by Jaimez et al (2008), who achieved a linear and positive relation between the specific leaf area and CO2 assimilation rate and the production of storage roots, while working with five cultivars of Peruvian carrot in two locations with different altitudes in Venezuela
Summary
Peruvian carrot (Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancroft) is a tuberous vegetable of long cultivation cycle that occupies the land for a period of 10 to 12 months (CASALI, 1984; GRANATE et al, 2007; SANTOS, 1997; SANTOS; CARMO, 1998). In most cases, it is cultivated by producers with limited area, who are forced to implant the culture in marginal areas, usually soils with low fertility and high inclination, achieving low yields (CASALI, 1984; GIL LEBLANC et al, 2008). It is estimated that the area cultivated with. In spite of the high perishability of tuberous or storage roots (MENOLLI et al, 2008), the high prices achieved and the rusticity of the culture have encouraged their culture, mainly in the familiar agriculture system (GRANATE et al, 2007; HEREDIA ZÁRATE et al, 2007; SANTOS, 1997; SANTOS; CARMO, 1998; TOLENTINO JUNIOR et al, 2002; VIEIRA et al, 2003), due to the great involvement of manpower, especially at harvest (SANTOS; CARMO, 1998).
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