Weeds interference per nutrient in carrots grown with or without black oat mulch

Abstract

The interaction with weeds jeopardizes the nutrients accumulation in the carrots’ plants. The mulch can reduce
competition effects and provide advantages to the cultivation. This research aimed to assess the black oat
(Avena strigosa Schreb.) hay mulch effect on dry matter accumulation of weeds and nutrients (N, P, K, and
S) accumulation in the carrots plants cultivar “Alvorada.” The experiments were set during the crop seasons
2016/2017 and 2017/2018 in a randomized-block design with a factorial scheme 2 x 5, with five repetitions. The
first factor corresponded to soil cover (with or without mulch), and the second factor, to the interaction time
with weeds (0, 15, 30, 60, and 120 days after emergence). The interaction with the weed community reduced
nutrients absorption and dry matter accumulation in the roots of the carrot’s plants. Interference with nutrients
absorption was more intense in crops without black oat hay mulch than with mulch. Mulch can reduce weeds’
dry mass by 75.6% during the entire culture cycle. Therefore black oak oat mulch reduces the weed interference
allowing higher nutrients accumulation and roots biomass in the carrots plants cultivar “Alvorada.”