Soil coverage, phytomass production and nutrient accumulation at intercropping maize and legumes system

Abstract

Intercropping of maize and legume cover crop is currently usual at low technological areas, due to some high benefits and potential such as suppressing weeds, recycling nutrients and coverage of the soil. Suppression of weed is important due to its huge competitory impact on the commercial crops. The nutrient recycling is also important becuase it reduces usage of fertilizers on low technological agriculture. The soil coverage is important to prevent the erosion and reduce the nutrient leaching. All those positive effects can be influenced by type of cultivated species on the intercropping consortium. This study aimed to evaluate the soil coverage, phytomass production and accumulation of nutrients by plants in a maize and legume intercropping system. The experiment consisted of rustic maize “Caiano de Sobrália” variety, intercropped with Brazilian velvet bean, black mucuna, lablab-bean and pigeon pea, whereas a control treatment (sole maize culture) was also added. First, the maize was sown on the experiment. 64 days after emergence (DAE) the legumes were sown. The soil cover rates were evaluated at 0, 64, 84, 120, and 144 DAE. The corn grains were harvested at 120 DAE to obtain the corn grain yield. The remaining portion of maize and entire legume plants were sampled at 144 DAE, when the accumulation of dry mass and nutrient were measured. The intercropping system did not affect the corn grain yield and the soil cover rate provided by maize plants. The black mucuna had the greatest weeds suppression and nutrient accumulation among the legumes cover crops evaluated.