Legumes as covers crops to improve soil quality

• Autor(a) principal: Imbana, Rugana
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Blum, Susana Churka, Aguiar, Maria Ivanilda, Sousa, Geocleber Gomes de, Ndami, Medna, Dabó, Ibraim
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Verde de Agroecologia e Desenvolvimento Sustentavel
• Texto Completo: https://www.gvaa.com.br/revista/index.php/RVADS/article/view/8861
• topic: Phytomass; Carbon stock; Mucuna pruriens; Crotalaria juncea; Fitomasa; Reservas de carbono; Mucuna pruriens; Crotalária juncea; Fitomassa; Estoque de carbono; Mucuna pruriens; Crotalária juncea

Legumes can be efficient to increase carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents in the soil. Based on this, the objective of this study was to select the legumes plants with the greatest potential to accumulate C and N in the soil. The experiment was conducted in 2018, in Redenção, Ceará. The experimental design was a randomized block with eight treatments and three repetitions. The treatments correspond to: control (soil without vegetation cover), straw, Mucuna pruriens, Mucuna pruriens, Dolichos lablab, Cajanus cajan, Crotalaria juncea and Canavalia ensiformis. At flowering (67 days after sowing), the legumes were cut and left on the area. At 78 days after cutting, soil samples were collected at depths of 0-5 and 5-10 cm. We determined bulk density, particle density, porosity, total organic carbon (TOC), carbon stock (C stock), total nitrogen (TN), nitrogen stock (N stock) and C:N ratio. The cover crops did not change bulk density, particle density, porosity, TN, N stock and the C:N ratio, due to the sandy soil texture and short experimental period. However, they contributed to the increase in TOC contents. Legume plants are able to increase soil carbon stock even in the short time. The mucuna cinza (Mucuna pruriens) is the leguminous plant with the greatest potential to accumulate C in the soil. However, to maintain organic residue in the soil, the use of Crotalaria juncea is recommended.