Equitable mixture of pasture killer (Senna uniflora L.) with rooster tree [Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton] as organic fertilizer in the production of arugula

The use of spontaneous species from the semiarid region constitutes a viable alternative for producers who work in the production of vegetables. In this sense, the objective was to evaluate the equitable mixture of pasture killer (Senna uniflora L.) with flor-de-seda [Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton] in the productivity of arugula in the semiarid region. The research was developed at the Rafael Fernandes Experimental Farm, belonging to the Federal Rural University of Semi-arid-UFERSA. The experimental design used was a randomized complete block design, with six treatments and four replicates. The treatments consisted of six doses of an equal mixture of pasture killer (Senna uniflora L.) and rooster tree [Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton] (0.0; 1.2; 2.4; 3.6; 4.8 and 6.0 kg m-2 on a dry basis). The arugula cultivar “cultivated” was used. Thirty-seven days after sowing, the arugula was harvested. The following characteristics were evaluated: plant height (cm plant-1), number of leaves per plant (mean terms), yield (g m-2), number of bunches (area units m-2) and dry matter mass of arugula (g m-2). The highest arugula production was observed at a dose of 6.0 kg m-2 of the mixture of pasture killer (Senna uniflora L.) and rooster tree [Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton], with a maximum value of 772.73 g m-2, equivalent to 7.48 units of bunches. Addition of spontaneous species from the semiarid region to the soil is extremely important for the cultivation of arugula.