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POTENTIAL USE OF LEGUME IN MAIZE CROPPING SYSTEM TO INCREASE THE ROOT SYSTEM IN ORDER TO PREVENT SOIL EROSION

Jakub Elbl

Abstract

Maize is a major energy crop for the production of silage, processing in a biogas plant, or livestock feed. However, its cultivation is associated with the possibility of soil erosion and other soil degradation processes. This paper deals with the comparison of the development of the root system of maize and selected leguminoses ? Broad bean (Vicia faba L.), Common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), White lupin (Lupinus albus) which can be grown in mixed culture system (MC). Four variants of the experiment were prepared in three replicates. The experiment was carried out in a vegetation hall using plastic lysimeters. The production of plant biomass, the size of root system and volume of the roots were measured. The biomass parameters were determined after the end of the experiment and the root system size at the peak of vegetation using the ELC-131D LCR Meter expressing results in nanofarad (nF). The significantly highest (ANOVA, post-hoc Tukey?s HSD test) values of all biomass parameters were found in variant with maize. The production of above and underground plant biomass was four times greater in comparison to variant with legumes. On the other hand, there were considerably smaller differences in the size of root system. Although, a root system of the maize was greater by 10% compared to the chick pea, by 40% to broad bean, and by 50% to white lupine, the maize had to produce disproportionately higher amount of biomass (0.5 g of underground biomass) to reach the extent of the 1 nF of the root system. In comparison, on average 0.15 g was produced by legumes to reach a similar extent of the root system. These results confirm the potential of leguminous use in MC in order to increase a root system even with their relatively lower total biomass production. There is a prerequisite for the development of a large root system by using maize cultivation in MC.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/3.2/s13.050

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