No-till broccoli farming over pearl millet: Weed suppression and yield at consecutive seasons in the southern coast of Brazil

Abstract

The pearl millet is a potential feedstock for biomass production under sensitive areas to climate changes, as the southern coast of Brazil. Looking for the sustainability of small-scale vegetable farmers on that region, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pearl millet as a cover crop on suppression of weeds during no-tillage cultivation of broccoli for two consecutive seasons. The experimental design was a randomized block with four treatments and four replications in split-plot design over time. Soil covering with whole millet; milled millet; spontaneous weeds (fallow) and conventional planting were tested; by they could causes changes in the community of weeds, either in the occurrence of weed species and in the accumulation of their biomass with influence on the yield of broccoli. The weed species density average over the two seasons, from higher to lower, followed respectively: Cyperus rotundus, Eleusine indica, Galinsoga quadriradiata, Cynodon dactylon, Commelina erecta and Amaranthus lividus. It was verified that soil covering with pear millet has altered weeds population dynamic and their biomass, being efficient in suppress the emergence of weeds. At the second season, the soil covered with whole pearl millet increased the yield of broccoli in comparison to the conventional system, being a sustainable technique for family farmers.