Soil Physical Properties and Grain Yield Influenced by Cover Crops and Crop Rotation

摘要

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 style="font-family:Verdana;">was style="font-family:Verdana;">used the randomized block design with three treatments and four replications consist style="font-family:Verdana;">ed style="font-family:""> style="font-family:Verdana;">by style="font-family:Verdana;">3 style="font-family:""> style="font-family:Verdana;">× style="font-family:Verdana;"> 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.