UTILIZATION OF DIFFERENT MULCHING TYPES IN STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION

Mulching is the application of any covering at the surface of the ground constituting a physical barrier to the energy transference and water vapor between the soil and atmosphere. This technique is used to reduce the infestation of weeds, to reduce the losses of water and to modify the microclimate. The present work was carried out at Embrapa (Brazilian Enterprise of Agriculture Research) Temperate Climate – Pelotas, with the objective to evaluate the effect of different mulching types on strawberry production. Polypropylene (called TNT or non woven) was evaluated in colors white and black and polyethylene film of low density with thickness of 30 micras was used as a control. The strawberry cultivars used were ‘Oso Grande’, ‘Aromas’ and ‘Camarosa’. The experimental design used was block randomized with three repetitions and sixteen plants for repetitions. The black polyethylene film, used as the control, gave the highest strawberry production followed by the black polypropylene (TNT). ‘Camarosa’ when planted under polyethylene film produced more fruits per plant (386.66 g) and also, more fruits per area (19.33 tons.ha^-1), when compared with other mulching types and cultivars. Polypropylene showed interesting responses to the three cultivars. At the variable fruit weight, ‘Camarosa’ had similar behavior when comparing polyethylene film (20.50 g) and TNT black (16.49 g). We concluded that, even though, polyethylene film showed better results, the black TNT is promising.