Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Effects of the use of cover crops in the structure of an oxisol managed by a no-till farming system in the west of Paraná, Brazil

Author(s):

Helton Aparecido Rosa *, Deonir Secco, Gustavo Veloso, Reginaldo Ferreira Santos, Samuel Nelson Melegari de Souza, Aracéli Ciotti de Marins, Augustinho Borsoi

Recieved Date: 2012-01-06, Accepted Date: 2012-04-30

Abstract:

Certain  soil physical characteristics such as resistance to penetration (Rs) and bulk density (Ds) are extremely important, and are also indicators of the soil structural quality. This paper aims at evaluating the use of four cover crop species in the reduction of density and soil resistance to penetration in areas where a no-till farming system is applied. The so-called “regenerator” species, which act in soil structure, were considered treatments, and consisted of four species: showy rattlebox (Crotalaria spectabilis), moha grass (Setaria italica), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and yet the control (an area without crops). Soil bulk density evaluations were carried out according to the methodology recommended by EMBRAPA, in the following depths: 0.0-0.1, 0.1-0.2 and 0.2-0.3 m. Sampling was carried out with five replications for the crop row and five for the spacing between each crop row, in each experimental unit (5 m x 5 m), up to 0.40 m in depth. An experimental design was 5 x 4 x 2 factorial, meaning 5 treatments, 4 depths and 2 sampling conditions.  The species studied, especially the pigeon pea and the sorghum, showed a great potential to improve soil structural state, for they showed figures to Ds and Rs that were lower than the ones from the area without crops. 

Keywords:

Compaction, soil resistance, soil bulk density

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2012
Volume: 10
Issue: 2
Category: Environment
Pages: 1278-1280

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