Limestone, gypsum and residual effect of fertilizers in the biomass production and nutrient cycling of millet plants

Abstract

Cover crops can provide a higher nutrient cycling. This study aimed to determine the effect of annual applications of gypsum and lime to the soil surface and of fertilizer doses to the previous crop (soybean) in the dry biomass production and nutrient accumulation by plants of pearl millet grown in succession, under no-tillage system. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in a 4x4 factorial scheme, with four replications. Treatments consisted of the combination of four types of soil conditioner (lime, lime + gypsum, gypsum and control), split in three parts (2 t ha^-1 of lime and 1,0 t ha^-1 of gypsum; 2 t ha^-1 of lime and 1 t ha^-1 of gypsum; and 1 t ha^-1 of lime and 0.5 t ha^-1 of gypsum), and four fertilizing rates with P (triple and simple superphosphate) and K (potassium chloride) (0%, 50%, 100% and 150% of the recommended fertilizing), applied at the sowing of the previous crop (soybean). Liming provided increments in the dry biomass production and in the accumulation of nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S) by millet plants. The application of gypsum did not increase the millet dry biomass yield. The use of increasing rates of fertilizers in the previous crop (soybean) increased the biomass dry matter, density and accumulation of nutrients by millet plants. The intercropping of millet as a cover crop, with the residual effect of the fertilizer applied in the summer crop, provided a nutrient cycling that can be used by the following crops.