TITLE:
Soil Physical Properties and Grain Yield Influenced by Cover Crops and Crop Rotation
AUTHORS:
César Tiago Forte, Amauri Nelson Beutler, Leandro Galon, Camile Thais Castoldi, Fábio Luís Winter, Cinthia Maethê Holz, Felipe Bianchessi, Germani Concenço, Leonardo Chechi, Matheus Martins Ferreira, André Andres, Giovane Matias Burg
KEYWORDS:
No-Till, Tillage, Dry Matter, Intercropped, Bulk Density, Soil Compaction
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.9 No.4,
March
8,
2018
ABSTRACT: The crop yield is related to several factors, among
these, soil tillage, soil compaction and crop rotation. This study aimed to
evaluate the winter cover crops and crop rotation influence on soil physical
properties and grain yield of dry beans, maize and soybean for two growing
seasons. Three experiments were conducted, corresponding to dry beans, maize
and soybean crops. It was used the randomized block design with three treatments and four
replications consisted by 3 × 10 m plots. The treatments were: two cover
crops systems and crop rotation in no-till, and the control, consisting of
winter fallow and conventional tillage. The cover crop dry matter, soil
physical properties and grain yield for dry beans, maize and soybean in the two
growing seasons were evaluated. Crop rotation systems and cover crops showed a
trend to increase maize and soybean yields. Crop rotation in no-till increases
soil compaction in the superficial layer compared to conventional tillage, but
does not reduce the dry beans, maize and soybean yields.