CHARACTERIZATION OF 16 HERBACEOUS LEGUMINOSAE GENOTYPES IN ASSOCIATION WITH MAIZE IN NIQUINOHOMO AND MANAGUA

Abstract

This experimental test documents the agronomic performance of herbaceous legumes generally associated with maize under different management, in two different ecological environments of Nicaragua: Finca Santa Rosa, Sabana Grande, Managua and Minor Species Agropecológico Rancho Ebenezer, RAEME, Niquinohomo, Masaya, for this purpose were used as treatments 7 species and 16 varieties of herbaceous legumes associated with Zea mays, variety NB6, more established monoculture Zea mays, to which the variables were analyzed by germination, plant height, stem diameter, coverage, presence of leaf damage by insects, presence of weeds, dry matter percentage, kg of dry matter per hectare, number of nodules, root weight and percentage of nitrogen in biomass of legumes. The experimental test design consisted of three randomized blocks, lying perpendicular to one another, each block was divided into 17 plots. In analyzing the results it was found that at Finca Santa Rosa Cowpea green brasil (vun1) and RAEME, Vigna unguiculata 284 / 2 (Vun3) were the s legumes showed better performance in terms of corn, at Finca Santa Rosa showed a better behavior to be associated with Vigna unguiculata 131-2 (Vun5) in RAEME, maize was associated with Centrosema plumieri (Cp), likewise the results indicate that when combining the corn and legumes that is performing better than being alone. For both sites it was determined that the best association was corn - Cowpea green brasil (vun1), providing similar ratings for both species, demonstrating a balance between the two crops.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/calera.v11i16.751

La Calera Vol. 11, No 16 p. 43-49/junio 2011