Agroecological cultivation of eggplant under different doses of organic fertilization using perennial species as cover crops

Agronomic performance of eggplant was evaluated under organic management, comparing perennial grass and legume species as cover crops. The trial was carried out in Seropedica, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, using a randomized block design with a split plot arrangement and three replications. The evaluated treatments in the plots were forage peanut (Arachis pintoi) as cover crop, Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum) as cover crop, and conventional soil tillage (control). Split plot treatments were represented by increasing dosages of poultry litter, corresponding to 120, 240, 480, and 720 g plant(-1), which were partitioned through the eggplant cycle. The viability of forage peanut used as living mulch for eggplants was evidenced by the fact that its results did not differ statistically from conventional soil tillage for yield, number of fruits per hectare and average fruit weight of eggplant. The only exception is related to the use of forage peanut associated to the greatest dosis of organic fertilizer (720 g plant(-1)), which has shown superior results when compared to conventional soil tillage. Maximum values were obtained with poultry litter dosage of 600 g plant(-1) (60.63 t ha(-1)) and 480 g plant(-1) (55.80 t ha(-1)) for forage peanut and soil tillage treatments, respectively. On the other hand, Bahia grass did not allow to reach maximum eggplant yield, even at the highest dosage of poultry litter, indicating competition imposed by the cover crop. The results indicate agronomic feasibility of eggplant grown under agroecological management, with forage peanut as soil cover crop. The highest yield of eggplant was obtained with the use of 600 g plant(-1) of poultry litter.