Cabbage yield using mulching and different irrigation intervals with moderately saline water

The irrigation management in areas under water scarcity is imperative to increase the water use efficiency particularly in areas with salinization risk and high atmospheric demands. In this study, effect of mulching and irrigation intervals was evaluated using moderately saline water on cabbage yield and on its related variables in an alluvial valley in the semiarid. The experimental design was in random blocks using a 3 x 2 factorial scheme, with 4 replications, adopting irrigation application intervals of 12, 24 and 48 h, and a leaching fraction of 20%, and considering mulching presence or absence on the soil. It was verified that productivities have been affected by the irrigation interval and by mulching. The maximum water use efficiency was obtained with irrigation frequency of 12 h and mulching adoption, corresponding to 110.49 Mg ha(-1) mm(-1), associated to a lower soil moisture variation along the experiment. Mulching relevance was highlighted for the irrigation interval equal to 48 h, contributing to control moisture losses, and to keep cabbage yield.