Biomass and nitrogen accumulation in cover crops species used in Brazilian Cerrado - DOI: 10.4025/actasciagron.v30i4.5313

Abstract

Plant species that have high biomass production are of fundamental importance to the sustainable development of no-tillage systems in the cerrado region. This experiment had the objective of evaluating the biomass production and nitrogen accumulation in 17 plant species in a Oxisol of the cerrado region. This experiment was conducted in an experimental field of the Federal University of Goiás, located in the Agricultural and Biological Cientific Center of Jataí - State of Goiás. The experimental layout was a randomized block with 5 replicates. The following species were used: two species of Avena strigosa, Brachiaria brizantha, Brachiaria decumbens, Eleusine indica, three species of Pennicetum americanum, Crotalaria spectabilis, Crotalaria juncea, two species of Cajanus cajan, Helianthus sp (savage), two species of Hibiscus cannabinus, Raphanus sativus and Guizotia abyssinica. Among the grasses, BRS 1501 millet presented the highest biomass production; among the legumes C. spectablis showed the same behavior; and Raphanus sativus for the other families. These three species also presented higher values for N accumulation in the shoots. The species Raphanus sativus, Hibiscus cannabinus 1 and BRS 1501 millet are the ones recommended for cover crops in cerrado soils in the Goiás cerrado region.