Abstract
Cowpea, a short-cycle legume with large production in the North and Northeast regions, has its productive potential limited by edaphic characteristics and degradation processes of soil physical quality, such as compaction. This process may interfere with plant development and productivity by restricting root system growth, aeration, water and nutrient availability. The objective of this work was to analyze the interference of different levels of compaction in the soil physical characteristics, root growth, development of the aerial part and productivity of cowpea. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse following a completely randomized design with a control (control) and four levels of soil compaction, with four replications. Each experimental unit was composed of PVC tubes composed of a 0.05-m layer of gravel, cotton fabric and a 0.04-m layer of soil. The different levels of compaction were obtained using a proctor socket and a wooden base. Based on the value of penetration resistance (PR) of 1.00 MPa, soil reached the macroporosity considered as critical theresohold for soil aeration. Results indicate that the higher the PR of the soil, the lower the development of the root system and the aerial part. The productive aspects of cowpea presented better results in plants grown in soils with a level of resistance to penetration close to 0.8 MPa.
Highlights
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) is a short-cycle legume, widely distributed worldwide and of great economic, social and dietary importance for the northeastern semiarid population (MARQUES et al, 2010)
Density, total porosity, macroporosity and microporosity were directly influenced by the different levels of penetration resistance (Table 4)
A significant variation was found in all soil physical characteristics analyzed as a function of the increase in penetration resistance (PR) value, influencing the increase of density and microporosity and decrease of total porosity, macroporosity and effective depth
Summary
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) is a short-cycle legume, widely distributed worldwide and of great economic, social and dietary importance for the northeastern semiarid population (MARQUES et al, 2010). According to Modolo et al (2011), the physical characteristics of the soil may condition the stability and survival of the crop after emergence, being the compaction one of the main physical attributes that, indirectly, can affect the growth and development of the crops. This action occurs because compaction consists in modifying the natural structure of the soil by reorganizing the particles and their aggregates, reducing macroporosity and total porosity and increasing microporosity, soil density and penetration resistance (RODRIGUES et al, 2014). Pessôa et al (2015) observed that the presence of the compacted soil layer impair the growth components of cowpea and Fernandes et al, (2015) found that cultivation of Vigna unguiculata in non-mobilized compacted soil restricted the development of the root system, conditioning its growth to the superficial layers
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