Upland rice yield as affected by Brachiaria coverage management

An important point in no-tillage system is the time between cover crop glyphosate desiccation and rice sowing. This study aimed to verify the effect of Brachiaria ruziziensis management time before rice sowing on rice yield and its components. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions and consisted of four types of B. ruziziensis management: with Brachiaria and with herbicide (WBWH), without Brachiaria shoots and with herbicide (NBWH), without Brachiaria shoots and without herbicide (NBNH), and with Brachiaria and without herbicide (WBNH), at four times: 30, 20, 10, and 0 days, preceding the rice sowing. The amount of B. ruziziensis dry matter increased as the management was done closer to the rice sowing date. The WBWH and WBNH managements (this one causes the lowest rice grain yield) must be done 30 days before rice sowing; while NBWH management must be done ten or more days before rice sowing. On the other hand, NBNH management (this one favors the best rice grain yield) can be done until rice sowing day. Despite some reduction in rice yield caused by the B. ruziziensis management, when it was done at the proper time the rice grain yield was similar to the control (without Brachiaria sowing and without herbicide application)

Phosphorus and potassium fertilization increase common bean grain yield in Mozambique

ABSTRACT There is little information about common bean fertilization in African Savannas. The objectives of this study were as follows: i) to evaluate the common bean yield potential in the environmental conditions of Lichinga, Niassa, Mozambique, and ii) to determine the common bean response to phosphorus and potassium fertilization applied together in order to verify whether the interpretation of soil analysis for the Brazilian Cerrado could be adopted for Savanna soils in Mozambique. The experimental design was a randomized block design in a 5 x 4 x 2 factorial arrangement. Treatments consisted of a combination of phosphorus doses (0, 35, 70, 140 and 280 kg ha-1 of P2O5), potassium doses (0, 50 100 and 200 kg ha-1 of K2O), and different growing seasons (2012/2013 and 2013/2014). The field rainfed experiments were conducted in Lichinga city, province of Niassa. Common bean crops presented high productivity potential in rainfed systems in the environmental conditions of Lichinga, Niassa, Mozambique, reaching grain yields of up to 3,600 kg ha-1 depending on the rates of fertilization with phosphorus and potassium. Common beans responded to phosphorus and potassium fertilization despite high contents of these nutrients in the soil, according to the interpretation of soil analysis for the Brazilian Cerrado. Maximum grain yield in the average of two growing seasons was estimated to occur for 239 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and 141 kg ha-1 of K2O, indicating that further calibration studies for P and K are required for this specific region of Mozambique