INCORPORATION OF GREEN MANURE AND BIOFERTILIZERS IN THE ORGANIC PRODUCTION OF STRAWBERRIES (<i> Fragaria</i> spp.) BRITGET VARIETY IN LAS SABANAS, MADRIZ

Abstract

Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) small-scale cultivators from
Las Sabanas, Madriz and the Universidad Nacional Agraria
have developed several studies aimed to increase the
organic production. Plagues and diseases management, soil
fertility, new test of cultivars, among others, are the main
limiting factors of the crop. The present study was carried
out to evaluate the moment of green manure and biofertilizer
incorporation in strawberry cv Britget. The study was
conducted at the farm of Mr. Jose Méndez, El Castillito, Las
Sabanas, during the period August 2006 - May 2007. The
experiment was set up in a split-block design. Legume species
cowpea (Vigna unguilata L.) and mungbean (Vigna radiata
L.), their incorporation into the soil at 12, 24 and 36 days after
planting (DAP), and foliar biofertilizer levels (200 and 400 l
ha-1) were evaluated. Treatments were arranged in a factorial
experiment (2x3x2) with three replicates. Fruit and yield
variables were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA)
and statistical categorization by LSD (∞=0.05). The legumes
incorporated into the soil affected the fruit variables. The
treatments, but not the interactions, had significant effect
on total yield. In the principal effects, cowpea (1490 kg ha^-1)
incorporated into the soil at 12 DAP (1410 kg ha^-1) and 400
l ha^-1 of biofertilizer (1318 kg ha^-1) resulted in the highest
averages. Cowpea incorporated into the soil at 12 and 24 DAP
with 400 l ha^-1 of biofertilizer (2000 and 2100 kg ha^-1 of total
fresh fruit respectively) resulted the best treatments.

Keywords: Fragaria; split-block design; Vigna unguilata;
Vigna radiata; ANOVA; LSD.

DOI: 10.5377/calera.v9i13.16