The effect of coverage in a single and intercropped system with three leguminous species with or without supplement of bovine biofertilizer was evaluated, in relation to plant nutrition, yield and fruit quality of pumpkin. The experimental area was formed by seven alleys of leguminous trees planted under double-rows, 24.5 m length and 6.0 m of spacing between rows, with total area of 147 m2 per plot, where alley coverage corresponded to a treatment: Control (C), Ingá (I), Sombreiro (S), Leucena (L), Ingá + Sombreiro (I+S), Ingá + Leucena (I+L) and Sombreiro + Leucena (S+L). The subplots consisted of two doses of biofertilizer (0 and 1.5 L per hole, diluted with 5 L of water), applied 40, 50, 60 days after sowing, two plants being taken per replication. The fruits were harvested and taken for biometric and quality analysis, and the analyzed variables comprised number of fruits per plant, average weight (kg) and fruit pulp thickness (cm). The experiment was installed in a randomized block design with three replications in a split plot. The intercropped systems with leguminous trees and pumpkins cv. Leite was more efficient on parameters such as N and K availability, organic matter and biomass for protecting the soil. The coverage of leguminous trees behaved in a different way, the single cropping being more significant for yield and the intercropped coverage producing fruits with higher weight and pulp thickness. A significant increase in average weight of fruits with application of bovine biofertilizer associated to intercropped coverage was noticed.
Cucurbita moschata; soil coverage; plant nutrition.
