Abstract

SILVA DELAZERI, João Victor et al. Agronomic performance of millet and crotalaria cultivated in single and intercropping. Cienc. suelo [online]. 2020, vol.38, n.2, pp.212-223. ISSN 1850-2067.

Some factors prevent the no-tillage system (NTS) from being widely adopted in the Cerrado, among which stand out the high temperature and high rainfall characteristics of the biome that make it difficult to maintain the mulch on the ground and obtain the true NTS. The objective of this work was to recommend an arrangement between millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and crotalaria (Crotalaria spectabilis), when cultivated in intercropping for cover crops. The experiment was carried out in a typical Kandiustox (Oxisol), in a randomized block design with five treatments and four replications. The treatments consisted of: single crotalaria cultivation; single cultivation of millet; 25% crotalaria+ 75% millet; 50% crotalaria + 50% millet; 75% crotalaria + 25% millet. Soil cover rate, root density, phytomass accumulation, nutrient content and accumulation, decomposition, half-life (T½), straw nutrient cycling and weed mass in each system were evaluated. C. spectabilis was suppressed by P. glaucum in the 25% crotalaria + 75% millet consortium. Although crotalaria has the highest N content, pearl millet has higher N accumulation in kg ha-1 due to higher dry matter production. Weed control was more efficient as the percentage of pearl millet increased as well as the number of roots. The 50% crotalaria + 50% millet intercropping is the most favourable arrangement between the two species, presenting intermediate values of cover rate, accumulation and decomposition of dry mass and nutrients, as well as weed control, keeping present in the system the characteristics of the two species.

Keywords : Crotalaria spectabilis; Decomposition; Phytomass; Pennisetum glaucum.

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