Effects of ground cover from branches of arboreal species on weed growth and maize yield

ABSTRACTCultivating maize under systems of alley cropping results in improvements to the soil, a reduction in weeds and an increase in yield. Studies using ground cover from tree shoots produce similar results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects on weed growth and maize yield of ground cover made up of 30 t ha-1 (fresh matter) of branches from the tree species: neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss), gliricidia [Gliricidia sepium(Jacq.) Kunth ex Walp.], leucaena [Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit.] and sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth.). Two treatment groups (cultivars and weed control) were evaluated. The cultivars AG 1041 and AL Bandeirantes were subjected to the following treatments: no hoeing, double hoeing, and ground a cover of branches of the above species when sowing the maize. A randomised block design was used with split lots (cultivars in the lots) and ten replications. The cultivars did not differ for green ear or grain yield. Double hoeing was more effective than ground cover at reducing the growth of weeds. However, both weeding and ground cover resulted in similar yields for green ears and grain, which were greater than those obtained with the unweeded maize.

摘要：在条带间作系统下种植玉米可实现土壤改良、杂草防控与产量提升。采用林木枝条覆盖的相关研究亦得到了相似的结果。本研究旨在评估施加30吨/公顷（鲜重）的四种林木枝条覆盖物对杂草生长及玉米产量的影响，供试林木树种分别为：印楝（Azadirachta indica A. Juss）、朱缨木（Gliricidia sepium(Jacq.) Kunth ex Walp.）、银合欢（Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit.）以及云实叶含羞草（Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth.）。本试验设置两类处理组：品种组与杂草防控组。供试玉米品种为AG 1041与AL Bandeirantes，分别接受以下三种处理：不除草、两次中耕除草，以及玉米播种时施加上述树种的枝条覆盖物。试验采用裂区随机区组设计（区组内设置品种亚区），共设10次重复。供试品种的青穗产量与籽粒产量均无显著差异。两次中耕除草对杂草生长的防控效果优于枝条覆盖处理。但中耕除草与枝条覆盖处理的青穗及籽粒产量均无显著差异，且均显著高于未除草处理的玉米产量。