Soil enzymatic activity and wheat grain yield under cover crop systems

ABSTRACT For years, the impacts of using cover crops in productive systems have been measured by their relation with soil chemical and physical characteristics. Consequently, the effects on the soil microbiological characteristics have been little explored. This research aimed to measure the short-term effects of cover crop systems on the enzymatic activity of arylsulfatase and beta-glycosidase, as well as the wheat grain yield. Thirty-five cover crop systems (18 single and 17 intercropped) were implemented, with 3 replications of the following variables for each treatment: enzymatic activity of arylsulfatase and beta-glycosidase, soil organic matter and sulfur contents, and wheat grain yield. The data were submitted to descriptive analysis, multivariate cluster analysis by dendrograms for the single and intercropped plant systems, and t-test for independent samples between the average scores of each group in the dendrograms. Independently of the crop system, there were short-term effects on the enzymatic activity and grain yield. Plants from the same botanic family presented different effects among them. Therefore, in the short-term, cover crops affect the enzymatic activity, and plants that present a higher enzymatic activity do not necessarily result in higher grain yields.