2024-09-132024-09-132024-09-132021-12-30https://repositorio.ifal.edu.br/handle/123456789/729The Soiltain DW® geosynthetic blanket is used in water treatment plants, in water filtration, has a shelf life of three months, in which it is then disposed of in sanitary landfills. Due to its characteristics, it consists of a solid residue with potential for agricultural use, as ground cover. This practice, known as mulching, common in plasticulture in temperate regions, reduces water losses, the incidence of weeds and labor. However, it can promote soil microclimate, especially in tropical and semi-arid regions, causing stress to plants. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of the Soiltain DW® geosynthetic blanket as an alternative mulching and the use of synthetic agrofilms in the production of lettuce cv. ‘Veneranda’ in Arapiraca, semi-arid region of Alagoas, Brazil. Four experiments were carried out between June/2020 and March/2021, in a completely randomized design, with four treatments (geosynthetic blanket, white and black polyethylene mulching, and bare soil) and five replications. The technical viability of the coverings was determined from the evaluation, at the end of each experiment, of the soil temperature, stand and morphoagronomic variables. Univariate and multivariate analyzes and Pearson’s correlations were applied. In the analysis of economic viability, indicators were used, from the cash flows between income and expenses, gross income, net income, profitability index and internal rate of return. There was a significant effect (P<0.05) for the interaction Soil cover x Planting times for all variables, except for root mass, indicating that these factors, together, promote changes in the behavior of lettuce cv. ‘Veneranda’. Univariate and multivariate analyzes showed the influence of mulching on lettuce in the four experiments, indicating that white mulching promoted favorable conditions for the evaluated morphoagronomic variables, promoting the highest yields in all cycles (average 19.9 Mg ha-1 ). Temperature is the response variable that exerted the most negative influence, mainly on stand, in which geosynthetic blanket and black mulching showed similarity, due to greater absorption of solar radiation and stand reduction. There is economic attractiveness for all the coverages studied, as there is a result that provides an economic return on the capital invested from the 2nd cropping cycle, when there is economic coverage of the initial investment value and coverage of the minimum attractiveness rate. The economic analysis showed that the geosynthetic blanket promoted the lowest effective operating costs, intermediate net income and lower profitability only than white mulching in the sum of the four experiments. Therefore, the four treatments evaluated are economically viable, especially white mulching. The Soiltain DW® geosynthetic blanket, solid waste, as it is free and reusable, can be used as an alternative mulching on lettuce cv. ‘Veneranda’, in the edaphoclimatic conditions of Arapiraca/AL.Acesso AbertoLactuca sativa L.Soiltain DW®Coberturas de solosPlasticulturaSoil coverPlasticultureDissertaçãoCIENCIAS AGRARIAS