Use of cover crops in tomato cultivation in Serra Gaúcha, Southern Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different cover crops, alone or in consortium, on nutrition, productivity, and fruit quality of the Petros tomato variety, cultivated in the Serra Gaúcha region. The experiment was conducted in the field, in tunnel greenhouses, in the municipality of Flores da Cunha, using a randomized block design with six treatments and four replications, including different cover crop species (mix of vetch, black oat and rye with forage turnip, mix of vetch, black oat and rye, rye, white oat, black oat and control using plastic mulch). The variables analyzed included fresh and dry biomass production, chlorophyll index, concentration of foliar macro and micronutrients, and fruit production. The results showed that the treatments with mix + turnip, mix, and rye produced greater biomass than the control and white oat. However, the cover crop mix of vetch, black oats, and rye + forage turnip showed rapid decomposition, favoring the emergence of weeds, while rye maintained greater straw persistence. Plant tissue and productivity analysis did not indicate statistically significant differences between treatments, which was attributed to the intensive fertigation used in the management. It was concluded that the use of cover crops results in a greater supply of dry matter to the soil without negatively affecting tomato productivity and quality. The use of cover crops helps conserve soil and indicates a favorable potential for carbon retention, reinforcing the importance of this practice as a promising practice in sustainable cropping systems.