MAIZE INTERCROPPING AND NITROGEN FERTILIZATION AIMING GRAIN YIELD AND IMPLEMENT A NO-TILL SYSTEM

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18512/rbms2021v20e1225 MAIZE INTERCROPPING AND NITROGEN FERTILIZATION AIMING GRAIN YIELD AND IMPLEMENT A NO-TILL SYSTEM Abstract – Intercropping grain crops with cover crops is a sustainable cultivation strategy that is useful for ensuring straw production for the no-tillage system (NTS) implementation and supply of nutrients, especially N, for successive crops. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of maize (Zea mays L.) cropping systems (CSs), when grown alone or intercropped with sunn hemp and ruzigrass, in combination with N fertilization in topdressing, on the maize agronomic performance and straw accumulation with NTS implementation. The experiment was conducted during the 2017/2018 season with a randomized block design in a split-plot scheme with four replications. The plots comprised maize alone, intercropped with sunn hemp (Crotalaria spectabilis), or intercropped with ruzigrass (Urochloa ruziziensis). The subplots were under four N rates: 0, 70, 140, and 210 kg ha-1. The intercropping systems promoted greater N accumulation and straw production and did not reduce grain yield (GY). The addition of N fertilizers increased leaf nitrogen content (LNC) and GY. Intercropping reduced maize LNC; however, higher N fertilizer application in topdressing mitigated this effect. The intercropping of maize with cover crops is a viable and sustainable alternative for agriculture, as maize GY is not affected, and there is a greater straw production and N accumulation. Therefore, NTS implementation will help in increasing N supply in successive crops.