Open AccessEvapotranspiration and crop coefficients of Italian zucchini cultivated with recycled paper as mulch
Author(s) -
Reginaldo Miranda de Oliveira,
Fernando França da Cunha,
Gustavo Henrique da Silva,
Lucas Maltoni Andrade,
Caio Vieira de Morais,
Patrícia Rodrigues Ferreira,
Flávio Pereira Gomes Raimundi,
Agnaldo Roberto de Jesus Freitas,
Caetano Marciano de Souza,
Rubens Alves de Oliveira
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0232554
Subject(s) - crop coefficient , mulch , lysimeter , evapotranspiration , irrigation , environmental science , crop , water use efficiency , agronomy , randomized block design , water use , mathematics , horticulture , soil water , biology , soil science , ecology
Recycled paper has the potential to be used as a mulch for vegetable production and can be adopted for the cultivation of Italian zucchini. However, there have been no studies about the water savings or crop coefficient values used in irrigation management in this system; therefore, there is a need for more research. In view of the above, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of recycled paper mulch on evaporation and evapotranspiration in Italian zucchini and to determine the crop coefficients in its developmental stages. The study was carried out in two cultivation cycles conducted at the Lysimetric Station in Viçosa, MG, Brazil. The experiments were installed in a randomized block design with four replicates. Four lysimeter cultivation treatments were applied: without mulch (C); with recycled paper as mulch (CP); with only recycled paper (P); and with Bahia grass (G). Irrigation and drainage measurements were performed daily to calculate the crop and reference evapotranspiration, and thus the crop coefficient (Kc) values. The following characteristics were evaluated: fruit yield, NDVI and water productivity. For the cultivation of Italian zucchini using paper as mulch, Kc values of 0.54, 0.77 and 0.44 and Kcb values of 0.15, 0.45 and 0.18 are recommended for the initial, intermediate and final stages, respectively. NDVI can be used to estimate the Kc values for Italian zucchini. The use of recycled paper as mulch reduces the water consumption of Italian zucchini.