IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT AND BIODEGRADABLE MULCHING IMPACT ON CARROT BIOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS AND YIELD

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the biometric and productive characteristics of carrot (Daucus carota L.) under different irrigation levels and soil covers. Experiments were carried out at the Federal University of Viçosa in 2019 and 2020, to evaluate the effect of five irrigation levels (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% of the daily irrigation depth) and soil coverings (control, plastic mulching, and paper mulching), on the variables soil moisture (U), actual water consumption (AWC), root length (R) and diameter (D), leaf height (H) and temperature (T), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), yield (Y) and dry root biomass (DB). Irrigation management was performed with tensiometers. There was no significant interaction (P < 0.05) between the factors. Irrigation significantly influenced D, H, T, NDVI, Y, and DB, while the soil cover treatment affected R, D, H, NDVI, Y, and DB. The highest yields were found in 100% irrigation (34.89 t ha-1) and with paper mulching (30.55 t ha-1). The results can guide future adaptations to the carrot production system currently in force in Brazil. As for biometric characteristics, yield, and sustainability in the use of water for irrigation were studied.