Intercropping of maize and legume cover crop is currently usual at low technological areas, due to some high benefits and potential such as suppressing weeds, recycling nutrients and coverage of the soil. Suppression of weed is important due to its huge competitory impact on the commercial crops. The nutrient recycling is also important becuase it reduces usage of fertilizers on low technological agriculture. The soil coverage is important to prevent the erosion and reduce the nutrient leaching. All those positive effects can be influenced by type of cultivated species on the intercropping consortium. This study aimed to evaluate the soil coverage, phytomass production and accumulation of nutrients by plants in a maize and legume intercropping system. The experiment consisted of rustic maize “Caiano de Sobrália” variety, intercropped with Brazilian velvet bean, black mucuna, lablab-bean and pigeon pea, whereas a control treatment (sole maize culture) was also added. First, the maize was sown on the experiment. 64 days after emergence (DAE) the legumes were sown. The soil cover rates were evaluated at 0, 64, 84, 120, and 144 DAE. The corn grains were harvested at 120 DAE to obtain the corn grain yield. The remaining portion of maize and entire legume plants were sampled at 144 DAE, when the accumulation of dry mass and nutrient were measured. The intercropping system did not affect the corn grain yield and the soil cover rate provided by maize plants. The black mucuna had the greatest weeds suppression and nutrient accumulation among the legumes cover crops evaluated.
The presence of weeds on fields is a concern for farmers, due to competition with the commercial crops, reducing yields. The intercropping of maize with legumes provides weed control; after senescence, the nutrients accumulated by plants are released, recycling nutrients. The study of plant species and their diversity is called phytosociology. This study aimed at evaluating the accumulation of dry phytomass by maize intercropped with legumes and weeds species, and at evaluating nutrient cycling and the phytosociology of weeds. The experiment consisted of maize intercropped with legumes cover crops: jack-beans, Brazilian jack-beans, velvet bean, lablab-beans, and pigeon pea, and the control treatment (maize without intercrop), all without chemical or mechanical weed control. Maize was sown in the plots, and legumes were sown 64 days after maize. Maize was harvested 120 days after sowing (DAS), and legumes at 144 DAS. Weeds were sampled at 84 and 144 DAS. It was possible to evaluate the accumulation of dry phytomass, the nutrient content of the intercrop components, and the phytosociology of weeds. The phytomass accumulation by maize was not affected by the intercrop with legumes. The intercrop with velvet bean accumulated higher dry phytomass and suppressed weeds. Jack beans accumulated dry mass, but did not suppress weeds. The intercropping system changed the diversity of weeds. Panicum maximum, Commelina nudiflora, Commelina benghalensis, Leonotis nepetaefolia and Melampodium divaricatum stood out by presenting higher values of phytosociological index and nutrient recycling.
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