Cover crops in the production of green and sweet corn

ABSTRACT Intensive conventional tillage cultivation of both green and sweet corn can contribute to soil degradation when compared to no-till systems. This study aimed to assess the agronomic characteristics and physicochemical quality of green and sweet corn grains grown under succession planting using different cover crops. Two experiments were conducted, one with green corn and the other sweet corn, using a randomized block design consisting of seven treatments: brachiaria (B); Pearl millet (PM); showy crotalaria (SC); SC+B; PM+B; PM+SC and PM+SC+B, with four repetitions. The fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW) of the cover crops and decomposition of their residue were assessed, in addition to the agronomic performance and bromatological quality of green and sweet corn grains. Brachiaria showed the lowest FW and DW production, highest residue decomposition rate and shortest half-life when compared to the other soil covers assessed. Productivity and yield for sweet corn grains and green corn ears were not statistically affected by the different cover crop residues. The cover crop residues influenced moisture content, total titratable acidity and total soluble solids in green corn, and lipids, proteins, total soluble solids, pH and ascorbic acid in sweet corn.

摘要：与免耕体系相比，对青饲玉米与甜玉米实施高强度传统耕作栽培，会加剧土壤退化。本研究旨在评估采用不同覆盖作物作为前茬开展序贯种植的青饲玉米与甜玉米籽粒的农艺性状及理化品质。本研究设置两项试验，分别针对青饲玉米与甜玉米进行，采用随机区组设计，共设7个处理组：臂形草（brachiaria，B）、珍珠粟（Pearl millet，PM）、美丽猪屎豆（showy crotalaria，SC）、SC+B、PM+B、PM+SC及PM+SC+B，每组设置4次重复。研究测定了覆盖作物的鲜重（FW）、干重（DW）及其秸秆腐解情况，同时评估了青饲玉米与甜玉米籽粒的农艺表现及营养品质。与其余供试土壤覆盖作物相比，臂形草的鲜重与干重产量最低，但秸秆腐解速率最高，半减期最短。不同覆盖作物秸秆对甜玉米籽粒、青饲玉米果穗的产量及生产效率均无统计学显著性影响。覆盖作物秸秆会影响青饲玉米的含水率、总可滴定酸度及总可溶性固形物含量，同时对甜玉米的脂质、蛋白质、总可溶性固形物、pH值及抗坏血酸含量产生影响。