Cover crops and their effects on the biomass yield of Serjania marginata plants

Abstract

The use of cover crops can reduce or even eliminate the use of nitrogenous fertilizers, contributing to a more sustainable agriculture and ensuring the conservation of natural resources. Thus, the aim of this research was to evaluate the use of cover crops to improve the biomass yield of Serjania marginata plants. The experiment was carried out at the Federal University of Grande Dourados, in Dourados-MS, from December 2009 to February 2011. A split plot design was used in a randomized block design with four replications, being evaluated in plots three species of tropical legumes (Stizolobium aterrimum, Crotalaria spectabilis and Canavalia ensiformes, and one control plot (without cover crops), and in subplots the addition or not of nitrogen (N) (at 150 days after transplant (DAT)). Plants of S. marginata in each subplot were harvested at 240 and 350 DAT. S. aterrimum and C. ensiformes showed higher accumulation of fresh (average of 37.61t ha-1) and dry (average of 6.39t ha-1) biomass of shoot in flowering, compared with the C. spectabilis (21.92 and 4.63t ha-1, respectively). The contribution of cover crops as a likely source of N only was observed for S. aterrimum and C. ensiforme, which promoted an increase in chlorophyll index, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of leaves and stem of S. marginata plants, in absence of N. In leaves of S. marginata, only C. ensiformes contributed significantly to an increase in N levels, while an increase in K levels was observed with all cover crop treatments, when compared to control. Pre-cultivation with S. aterrimum and C. ensiformes provided an increase in P levels in leaves of S. marginata. Therefore, S. aterrimum and C. ensiformes were the most promising cover crops for growing of S. marginata, improving the biomass yield and probably the N economy.