Productive responses of Pak Choi grown with different soil cover

Abstract

Aiming to evaluate the influence of different types of mulching on the production traits of three cultivars of Pak Choi, the present experiment was installed in the period from March to May 2013. The trial was conducted in a split plot randomized block design, with four replications. In the plots were arranged the soil cover treatments (white nonwoven, black nonwoven, black plastic, silver plastic, tifton straw and bare soil) and in subplots, three cultivars of Pak Choi (Green Pak Choi, White Pak Choi and Chingensai Natsu Shomi). Thirty-five days after transplantation it was evaluated height and diameter of shoots, number of leaves, fresh weight of the head and petiole, base diameter, dry weight of stem, petiole and leaf. We also calculated the total dry weight and leaf area, and then we estimated the yield. There was a significant effect of soil cover and cultivar. In general, the cover with synthetic materials showed higher values of production characteristics of Pak Choi. The cultivar White Pak Choi was better adapted to the growing conditions, with an average yield of 57.78 t ha -1 .