Production of mint under planting densities of mung bean (Vigna radiata) in loam argisol yellow red latosol

Abstract

The use of legumes as fertilizer haqs been a viable option for the farmers who work in the production of medicinal plants with agroecological management. In this sense, the objective was to evaluate the production of mint under planting densities of mung bean in loam argisol yellow red latosol. The experiment was conducted at the Rafael Fernandes Experimental Farm, in the Alagoinha district, rural area of Mossoró, RN, Brazil, from August 2016 to March 2017. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks with the treatments arranged in 4 x 2 factorial scheme with three replicates. The first factor consisted of sowing densities (50; 100; 150 and 200 plants m-2) and the second factor was management systems such as incorporation and permanence (covered) of mung bean biomass on the soil surface. The cultivar "Mentha piperita" was used for the mint crop. The evaluated characteristics were the following: biomass height, green mass production, number of bunches, dry mass production, oil content and oil production of mint. The sowing density of 150 plants m-2 of mung bean provided production and number of mint bunches of 2.63 kg m-2 and 26.3 units m-2, respectively. For the forms of biomass management (incorporated and covered), no statistical difference was observed for the characteristics of the production of green mass, number of bunches, content and oil production of mint. The use of mung bean as a green manure for mint production is feasible to be used by farmers in northeastern Brazil.