COVER CROPS CHANGE THE PHYTOSOCIOLOGY OF WEEDS AND THE BANANA YIELD

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate the phytosociology of weeds and the fruit yield of banana (cv. Tropical) in different soil coverings. The experimental design used was randomized blocks, with eight treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of sowing of Canavalia ensiformis, Cajanus cajan, Crotalaria juncea, Stylosanthes 'Campo Grande', Crotalaria spectabilis, Sorghum bicolor, and Phaseolus lunatus between the rows of the banana trees. A control treatment was also used without cover crops. Weed phytosociology was evaluated in four treatments. The number of hands per bunch, the number of fruits per hand, the number of fruits per bunch, and the fruit yield were estimated in all treatments. In the phytosociological survey, 23 species were identified, in 13 families, especially Asteraceae and Poaceae families. Compared to the control, the coverage with C. cajan, C. juncea, and C. ensiformis provided a reduction in weed density of 108%, 71.7%, and 14.6%, respectively. C. ensiformis and C. cajan provided the highest yield of banana fruits, with an increase of 51.2% about the control. It is concluded that C. ensiformis and C. juncea provided the most significant suppression of weeds, while C. cajan and C. ensiformis provided the highest fruit yield.