02228naa a2200325 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001902400420006010000230010224501560012526000090028152012160029065000200150665000200152665000210154665000090156765300260157665300130160265300150161570000230163070000260165370000230167970000300170270000230173270000230175570000240177870000180180270000240182077300580184421499022024-02-20       2023    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d7 ahttps://doi.org/10.1002/ird.27582DOI1 aALVES, H. K. M. N.  aThe use of mulch in cultivating the forage cactus optimizesyield in less time and increases the water use efficiency ofthe crop.h[electronic resource]  c2023  aMeasurements of crop evapotranspiration (ETC) and crop coefficients (kC)incactus have not yet been adjusted for the phenological stage using conserva-tion practices (i.e. mulching). In this study, soil water dynamics, ETCandkCwere measured in the forage cactus under cultivation systems with (WM) andwithout (NM) the use of mulch in the semi-arid region of Brazil.Opuntiastrictawas subjected to irrigation depths based on a percentage of the referenceevapotranspiration (ET0) (rainfed, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) and to two systems ofcultivation: WM and NM. Over time, the phenophases (?Ph) were established;the soil water balance components were calculated and the crop yield wasevaluated at harvest. The use of 8.2 Mg ha1mulch led to almost no reducedwater consumption by the crop when compared to the NM system; however,the mulch did maximize yield, at 839C day, when irrigated with 50% ET0. ThekCvalue was higher under the WM system, with the differences decreasingthroughout the cycle (?PhI, 36%;?PhII, 27%;?PhIII, 23%;?PhIV-HT, 17%; and?PhIV-RF, 14%). Therefore, the use of mulch in cultivating the cactus opti-mized forage production in less time and significantly increased the water useefficiency of the crop  aOpuntia stricta  aCobertura Morta  aPalma Forrageira  aSolo  aEmissão de cladódio  aFenofase  aSemiárido1 aSILVA. T. G. F. da1 aJARDIM, A. M. da R. F1 aSOUZA, L. S. B. de1 aARAÚJO JÚNIOR, G. do N.1 aSOUZA, C. A. A. de1 aMOURA, M. S. B. de1 aARAUJO, G. G. L. de1 aCAMPOS, F. S.1 aCRUZ NETO, J. F. da  tIrrigation and Drainagegv. 72, n. 1, p. 75-89. 2023.