Legume Cover Crops Effects on Plantain (Musa acuminata x balbisiana) Cv. Maricongo Growth in Puerto Rico.

Legume cover crops are consistently used in tropical agriculture, primarily for weed and N management. In Puerto Rico, legume cover crop on plantain (Musa acuminata x balbisiana) production is not well documented. An experiment was conducted in 2013 on an Oxisol (Coto, fine, kaolinitic, isohyperthermic and Typic Eutrustox). Objective was to assess the effects of four systems; three legume cover crops (LCC), [Jack bean: Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC; Crotalaria juncea L. cv. Tropic Sun and Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. cv. Lazaro] established in rows of cv. Maricongo and conventional planting (no-cover crop) on plant height (m), pseudo-stem circumference (cm), bunch yield, and N and K concentration on the third uppermost open leaf. Maricongo corms were spaced 1.5-m between plants and 3-m between rows (LCC were drilled 60-cm within rows) in a randomized complete block with three replicates. At 3-mo, LCC biomass was measured in the inner rows, cut, allowed to decompose for 2-wks before LCC re-planted. At 3, 5, 7 and 9-mo, plant height, pseudo-stem circumference were taken on six-marked plants and the third open leaf on the plants were sampled. Biomass of LCC differed (P<0.05) with highest dry matter for Tropic Sun (13.8 Mg ha^-1) and 276 Kg N ha^-1. There were no date x systems interaction for plant height, pseudo-stem and N and K concentration. Plant height and pseudo-stem circumference at 9-mo was 3.0 m and 15.20 cm, respectively. Nitrogen was similar for the system, but K in plantain's leaves was highest for canavalia (2.81%) compared to the conventional planting (2.53%). Constrast analysis did not show differences (p>0.05) in bunch yield (mean of 15.81 Kg). In conclusion, LCC was similar to no-cover crop for plant height, psuedo-stem, and bunch yield of Maricongo.