Weed management in no-tillage vegetable cultivation: using the Sistema de Plantio Direto de Hortaliças to achieve an agroecological transition

Publication date: 17/07/2025
Extent: 20 pages

Contributions by: Marcelo Zanella and Darlan Rodrigo Marchesi, Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Company of Santa Catarina (EPAGRI), Brazil; Arcângelo Loss and Guilherme Wilbert Ferreira, Federal University of Santa Catarina State (UFSC), Brazil; and Jamil Abdalla Fayad, Agricultural Research and Rural Extension Senior, Brazil

Chapter synopsis:

This chapter describes cultivation of vegetables using the no-tillage cultivation system developed in Brazil (SPDH+: Sistema de Plantio Direto de Hortaliças). Based on agroecological principles, this allows more sustainable cultivation of vegetables without reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The SPDH+ system is based on a holistic approach which combines vegetable cultivation with green soil cover, combining planted species with spontaneous plant growth. The chapter describes both underpinning principles and practical implementation with case studies.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2024.0145.15