El papel de las malezas en la reducción de la lixiviación de nutrimentos en cultivos de banano en el trópico húmedo
Banana production in the humid tropics of Central America is characterised by excessive application of inorganic fertilizer. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of weeds in the reduction of leaching of fertilizer applied to this crop. Experimental plots of 150 m2 with 6 repetitions, were maintained for three years in sandy soil with five weed population levels: zero, 20, 40, 60 and 70 cover. Visual evaluations and control of weed cover were realised weekly. In order to avoid important population fluctuations and dominance by some species mowing, cutting with a knife and herbicide rotations were performed. After three years, soil samples were collected at depths of 40 and 90 cm using a lysimeter. The concentrations of nitrogen (N-NO3), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), and magnesium (Mg2+) in the soil solution were determined. Three levels of weed cover: zero, 40 and 70 percent, were selected from the range of available covers. In these plots and in three repetitions, lysimeters were installed to determine the amount of applied fertilizer in leached water. Water samples were analysed weekly after installing the lysimeters. High concentrations of K+ were found at depths of 40 and 90 cm in the three weed population levels without statistical differences between them. The highest concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+ and N-NO3 at both depths were found in plots without weeds. As the weed population increased the concentration of these nutrients decreased at the two depths evaluated. With respect to the nutritional state of the plants in the different levels of weed cover, the treatment with 40 percent of cover showed the greatest concentrations of nutrients in the foliar material. The lowest concentrations were found in the treatment with 0 percent weed cover, possibly due to high loss of these elements through leaching. However, none of the treatments showed foliar deficiencies of the analysed elements (K, Ca, Mg and N). In this study of banana plant growth, there were no significant differences in height or in diameter.
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | biblioteca |
| Language: | spa |
| Published: |
Costa Rica CATIE
Dic
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| Subjects: | AMERICA CENTRAL, APLICACION DE ABONOS, COSTA RICA, DEFICIENCIAS DEL SUELO, LIXIVIACION, MALEZAS, MUSA (BANANOS), TROPICOS HUMEDOS, |
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