Cobertura de leguminosas en el cultivo de maiz en los altos de Chiapas, Mexico | Legumes cover crops in corn production in the Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico
2006
Bernardino-Hernandez, H.U. | Alvarez-Solis, J.D. | Leon-Martinez, N.S. | Pool-Novelo, L.
The effect of mucuna and botil bean as cover crops on some soil physical, chemical and biological characteristics, control of weeds and corn yield (Zea mays) was evaluated in Santa Martha, Chenalho, Chiapas, Mexico. Fieldwork was conducted with the participation of tzotzil farmers in four sites with corn cultivation located in the temperate and hot zones of the community. In every site, major plots with or without mucuna cover in the previous cropping cycle were established, and as minor plots, the covers of mucuna, botil bean, and a control without cover under a design of split plots in randomized blocks with three replications. Results showed that when the previous cover of mucuna was cut and left on the soil surface there was a positive effect on the control of weeds, it increased corn yield and influenced the positive balance between the total income and the production costs. Nevertheless, the previous cover did not have a significant effect when litter was burned before corn sowing, or when it was grazed by cattle during the dry season. Dry matter production of legume covers in the second cycle was scarce at 150 days, and there was no significant effect on the control of weeds. Mucuna had higher production of biomass than botil bean in the hot zone, but botil bean had more biomass than mucuna in the temperate zone, with a maximum value of dry matter production of 2.5 and 1.0 t ha(-1) for mucuna and botil bean, respectively. Corn yield showed a positive relationship to organic matter, total N and Olsen P, and negative to weed biomass.
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