Abstract
The use of legumes in pre-cultivation on the common bean has the possibility of providing atmospheric N to the soil, making it available to this crop, and may cover part of its N demand and increase grain yield. The objective of present study was to evaluate the effect of hyacinth bean and jack bean as green manures on the production of common bean grown in two seasons. Cover crops were evaluated for fixed N2, dry matter yield, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) concentrations, C:N ratio and N accumulation in the shoot. The jack bean accumulated higher biomass and more total N than hyacinth bean and spontaneous vegetation (control). However, both legume species, when used as green manure, resulted in an increase in the N concentration of common bean. Compared to the spontaneous vegetation, hyacinth bean residue increased yield of common bean by 32% and jack bean residue increased the bean yield by 46%. These yields were recorded when common bean was cultivated a few weeks after residues incorporation into the soil and about seven months later, thus showing a flexibility to family farmers for making their decisions on the best cropping season. Key words: Phaseolus vulgaris, Dolichos lablab, Canavalia ensiformis, family farming, symbiotic nitrogen fixation.
Highlights
In Brazil, family farmers produce a majority of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) crop
Few studies have focused on the use of these legumes as green manure for common bean crop, and the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of hyacinth bean and jack bean as green manure on the production of common bean grown in two seasons
The content and amount of N-biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) provided by jack bean was higher than the hyacinth bean (Table 1)
Summary
In Brazil, family farmers produce a majority of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) crop. Farming is predominant in the Atlantic Forest region of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. In this region, common bean is either cropped in small mono-crop areas or intercropped with coffee. Common bean is either cropped in small mono-crop areas or intercropped with coffee The yield of these systems is about 650–850 kg ha-1 (Didonet et al, 2009). While it is desirable to increase yields, the course of action followed to achieve this should be based on biological processes, be less dependent on industrial inputs, and be consistent with the traditional practices followed by family farmers.
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