Produção de fitomassa de espécies de cobertura em latossolo vermelho distroférrico

Abstract

Phytomass yield and leaf area index of tropical cover crops under no-tillage system were evaluated. The experiment was carried out on a dystrophic Oxisol, at Santo Antônio de Goiás, Brazil (16º28'S; 49º17'W; altitude 830 m). The following crops were used: Brachiaria, Brachiaria/corn association, pigeon pea, millet, guineagrass, sorghum, and Stylosanthes. For growth analysis, shoots of the cover species were weekly sampled for leaf area index and total dry mass determination. In a decreasing rank grasses with the highest estimated values of dry matter yield were: single Brachiaria > sorghum > corn > guineagrass > millet > Brachiaria/corn association; and for leguminous: pigeon pea > Stylosanthes. In a decreasing rank the leaf area indexes for grasses were: single Brachiaria > guineagrass > millet sorghum > corn > Brachiaria/corn association; and for leguminous: Stylosanthes > pigeon pea.