Biomass Productivity and Physical Properties of the Soil after Cultivation of Cover Plant in the Autumn and Winter

Abstract

The species that can be used as cover plants are many, which makes it difficult to make a choice, since there is no ideal plant, and it is necessary to make a survey of the most favorable species. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biomass productivity of cover crops in autumn and winter (Poaceaea and Fabaceae), and their effects on soil physical properties at different depths.The experimental design was of randomized blocks with subdivided plots, with six replications. The plots consisted of four cover crops in autumn and winter; two Poaceae (black oats and brachiaria) and two Fabaceae (fried pea and white lupine). The subplots were at different depths of evaluations; 0 -0.05; 0.05 -0.10 and 0.10 -0.15 m to determine the pore volume and soil density; and 0 to 0.40 m to resistance to penetration. Were evaluated: dry mass yield; soil surface cover index; volume of macropores, micropores, total porosity; soil density; and soil resistance to penetration. It was verified that the family of plants Fabaceae showed higher dry matter yield (4400 kg•ha −1 ), however, the lower soil cover rate (68.71%). The highest volume of macropores (0.05 m 3 •m −3 ) and the lowest soil resistance to penetration were observed in the soil cultivated with Poaceae family cover plants, in the respective depths of 0 -0.10 m and 0.05 -0.20 m.

Crop rotation and soil scarification: impacts in the soil penetration resistance

“…These values fall within the category of moderate resistance to penetration, as Soil Survey Staff (2017), which report that the penetration resistance classes range from 0.10 up to 8.00, in a way that a soil with a resistance between 0.10 and 1.00 MPa is considered as of low resistance; between 1.00 and 2.00 of moderate resistance; between 2.00 and 4.00 of high resistance and between 4.00 and 8.00 of very high resistance. With the objective of testing the effect of cover plants from the Fabaceae family (Pisum sativum L. and Pisum sativum L.) and Poaceae (Avena strigosa S. and Urochloa ruziziensis) over the soil penetration resistance, Mottin et al (2018) report values soil penetration resistance inferior to 1.50 MPa, lower than the ones found in the present study. This may have occurred due to the root system of the plants that were used, in special the black oat, which is a Poaceae with a more aggressive hairy root system, which directly influences in the soil physical properties (Kondo et al 2012), due to a better soil exploration, influencing in the biopores formation, which reduce the soil penetration resistance.…”

Propriedades físicas de Latossolo Vermelho após milho e plantas de cobertura cultivadas em monocultivo ou consorciada

“…família Poaceae e a literatura destaca sua capacidade em promover melhorias físicas do solo. Ainda Mottin et al (2018) constatou que as plantas de cobertura do solo da família Poaceae promoveram maior volume de macroporos quando comparado as plantas da família Fabaceae.…”

Efeito do cultivo de milho consorciado com plantas de cobertura na produção de massa seca e nas propriedades físicas do solo

“…Os Porém, resultados contraditórios são encontrados na literatura, Mottin et al (2018) verificaram maior produtividade de MS em plantas da família Fabaceae, no entanto, Ziech et al (2015) não verificaram diferenças na produtividade de MS entre essas família.…”

“…Em um sistema produtivo é imprescindível a atenção com as propriedades físicas do solo, tais como: porosidade, resistência à penetração e densidade do solo (BOTTEGA et al, 2011). É necessário e de fundamental importância um ambiente físico favorável para o crescimento e desenvolvimento radicular, a fim de maximizar a produtividade das culturas implantadas (MOTTIN et al, 2018).…”

“…Elas também promovem a retirada de nutrientes da subsuperficie, liberando-os gradualmente na superfície durante o processo de decomposição (MENDONÇA et al, 2013). Outra vantagem, é a alta densidade de raízes, principalmente das Poaceae, e sua periódica renovação tornando-se desse modo, importante para a qualidade e sustentabilidade do sistema de produção agrícola (MOTTIN et al, 2018). Além disso, as plantas de cobertura do solo promovem a maior diversidade e abundância da fauna edáfica (BALIN et al, 2017).…”