ABSTRACT
Intensive conventional tillage cultivation of both green and sweet corn can contribute to soil degradation when compared to no-till systems. This study aimed to assess the agronomic characteristics and physicochemical quality of green and sweet corn grains grown under succession planting using different cover crops. Two experiments were conducted, one with green corn and the other sweet corn, using a randomized block design consisting of seven treatments: brachiaria (B); Pearl millet (PM); showy crotalaria (SC); SC+B; PM+B; PM+SC and PM+SC+B, with four repetitions. The fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW) of the cover crops and decomposition of their residue were assessed, in addition to the agronomic performance and bromatological quality of green and sweet corn grains. Brachiaria showed the lowest FW and DW production, highest residue decomposition rate and shortest half-life when compared to the other soil covers assessed. Productivity and yield for sweet corn grains and green corn ears were not statistically affected by the different cover crop residues. The cover crop residues influenced moisture content, total titratable acidity and total soluble solids in green corn, and lipids, proteins, total soluble solids, pH and ascorbic acid in sweet corn.
Keywords:
Zea mays; specialty corn; plant residues; productivity; physicochemical characteristics
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