Green manures and levels of nitrogen topdressing in wheat crop under no-tillage

Abstract

Green manure is still a not widely used practice in wheat crop, although economic benefits and conservation of natural resources can be observed due to the adoption of this practice. This study was carried out at the Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, with the objective of evaluating the effect of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), associated with levels of mineral nitrogen topdressing in the agronomic performace of wheat crop under no-tillage. The treatments were constituted by green manures, fallow as a treatment-control and six doses of mineral nitrogen topdressing: zero, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 kg ha^-1. Urea was used as nitrogen source. Evaluations of dry mass of cover crops, nitrogen contents in green manures shoot and in wheat leaves, plant height, number of productive tillers per plant, one thousand-grains weight, hectolitric weight and yield were made. It was concluded that the use of green manures before wheat seeding promotes significant increases in crop yield, mainly when planted over to sunn hemp. The wheat yield response to mineral nitrogen application varied according to the preceding crop.