Efecto de tres coberturas vegetales en el desarrollo y rendimiento del cultivo de lechuga (Lactuca sativa L.) var. Great Lakes 366

Abstract

The objective of this work was to determine the effect of three living mulches on the development of a lettuce crop (Lactuca sativa L.) var. Great Lakes 366 under Cuenca conditions. The work was conducted at the Yanuncay Campus of the University of Cuenca. The growth of the three covers and the lettuce crop was evaluated. The three covers were: a) spontaneous vegetation kept 5cm tall under minimal tillage, b) spontaneous vegetation kept 5cm tall after normal tillage, c) a clover living mulch kept 5cm tall after normal tillage and an uncovered control kept weed-free. The results show that both, the mulch with spontaneous vegetation before tillage and the clover mulch, produced yields similar to the ones observed in the weeded control. In contrast, the mulch with spontaneous vegetation with reduced tillage produced markedly lower yields. Soil properties remained similar in all the treatments except the soil moisture content that was higher in the spontaneous vegetation with reduced tillage mulch