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Abstract
ABSTRACT There are several benefits in the cultivation of Crotalaria spp., including high levels of biomass production and N accumulation, nutrient cycling and antagonistic activity against some nematodes. However, information on nutritional demand is still scarce for these species. This study aimed to determine the dry matter production and macronutrient uptake in shoots of Crotalaria juncea and Crotalaria spectabilis. Two experiments (one for each species) were carried out in a randomized block design, with three replications, assessing thirteen harvest times for C. juncea and ten for C. spectabilis. After each harvest, the samples were dried, weighed and submitted to laboratory analysis, in order to determine the nutrient contents in different parts of the plant. The nutrient accumulation on the shoots, for both species, occurred in the order K > N > P, being the stem the main organ of nutrient accumulation. Also for both species, the export of nutrients by the grains followed the order N > K > P. The maximum dry matter accumulation occurred at 135 and 104 days after emergence (DAE), respectively for C. juncea and C. spectabilis, while the production of viable seeds, in both species, had already begun at 90 DAE.
Highlights
Species of the Crotalaria genus are characterized by a fast vegetative growth, high levels of biomass production and nutrient extraction, as well as the ability to adapt well to low soil fertility conditions (Fontanétti et al 2006, Vargas et al 2011)
The shoot dry matter production of the crotalaria plants showed a distinct behavior between the two evaluated species
For C. spectabilis, the accumulation was slow until 45 days after emergence (DAE); while, for C. juncea, the dry matter production began to intensify from 30 DAE (Figures 2a and 2c), characterizing it as a more accelerated initial starter species, when compared to C. spectabilis
Summary
Species of the Crotalaria genus are characterized by a fast vegetative growth, high levels of biomass production and nutrient extraction, as well as the ability to adapt well to low soil fertility conditions (Fontanétti et al 2006, Vargas et al 2011). As such, they are a good option for use in no-tillage production systems. They are a good option for use in no-tillage production systems In addition to their use as green manure, some species stand out for their fiber and forage production (Cazetta et al 2005).
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