Tuesday, 8 November 2005
11

Soil Physical Characteristics in Bracharia Grass Based Corn Cropping Systems in Puerto Rico.

Tawainga Katsvairo1, Elide Valencia2, Rebeka Sanabria2, and Abner Rodriguez2. (1) University of Florida, NREC, IFAS, 155 Research Rd., Quincy, FL 00681, (2) University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, P.O. Box 9030, Mayaguez, PR 00681

The Caribbean basin has a significant number of dairy cattle and corn silage is a feed of choice for the dairy industry. However, crop production in the Caribbean basin is plagued by pest problems, erratic rainfall, poor soil fertility and fluctuating prices for commodities. The introduction of Bt corn (Zea mays L.) makes it possible to grow corn in Puerto Rico. A study was conducted in 2004 and 2005 to evaluate corn hybrid yield planted on tillage/rotation systems on five-year-old sods of signalgrass (Brachiaria decumbens). The tillage included minimum and conventional tillage, while the rotations included continuous and a corn/Brachiaria rotation. Soil type was a Fraternidad series (Fine, smectitic, isohypothermic Typic Hapluderts). In 2004, geo-referenced sampling stations and base line soil measurement were conducted. Samples were collected from the same stations each year. Baseline measurements taken included bulk density, infiltration, soil nutrient status and earthworms. Bulk density measurements were taken at the shallow depth, 0 to 15-cm and at a of 15 to 30-cm. The BD values were 1.37 for the shallow depth and 1.36 for the deeper depth. Baseline earthworms averaged 109 m-2. Dry forage yield averaged 14,035 kg ha-1 in 2004 across tillage system. Corn yield for rotations has not completed a full sequence.

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