Abstract
The high biomass production of certain cover crops species is due to their high absorption capacity and nutrients use efficiency. Its potential for biomass production it is important to obtain productive plants using nutritional information especially in environments with low nutrient apport. The objective was to evaluate the biomass accumulation, extraction and nutrient use efficiency by cover crops growing in a soil of low fertility. The treatments were arranged in four randomized blocks, composed of seven cover crops: sunn hemp, spectabilis, pigeon pea forage, pigeon pea arbore, lab lab, jack bean and mucuna. To evaluate dry mass accumulation, crop growth rate and leaf area index, six plants were used in different times: 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 and 105 days after sowing. The cover crops differed in vegetative cycle, dry mass accumulation, yield, extraction and nutrient use efficiency, with better performance presented by pigeon pea arbore. The cover crops are good recyclers of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, potassium and calcium and have potential for use in the cultivation systems in the Northeast of Brazil.
Highlights
The transformation of natural vegetation into intensive agriculture with monoculture, based on the high input of industrial fertilizers, was responsible for increasing food production
The cover crops differed in vegetative cycle, dry mass accumulation, yield, extraction and nutrient use efficiency, with better performance presented by pigeon pea arbore
It is possible to observe that the vegetative cycle ranged from 60 days for sunn hemp to 122 for pigeon pea arbore
Summary
The transformation of natural vegetation into intensive agriculture with monoculture, based on the high input of industrial fertilizers, was responsible for increasing food production. There is fallow in the off-season, which increases production costs and accelerates the process of soil degradation, with losses of organic matter and nutrients (Calegari et al, 2008; Muoni et al, 2020). In this way, alternatives that can decrease the soil movement and increase the cultivation intensity, diversity and the input of Research, Society and Development, v. Our objectives with study were evaluate the biomass accumulation, extraction and nutrients use efficiency from cover crops grown in low fertility Ultisol
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