Caracterização, identificação e cinética do crescimento de leguminosas em solo coeso dos Tabuleiros Costeiros do Recôncavo Baiano

Abstract

The soils of Coastal Plains comprise the major part of almost all the States of the Brazilian Northeast, totalling an area of 84,200 km2. They are located close to the major consuming centers, giving them, important social and economical significance. Those soils, predominantely Yellow “Latossolos” and Yellow “Argissolos” have agricultural limitations, being the main limitation the presence of compacted horizons, generally related to the transition horizons: AB and BA, which could sometimes happen in deeper subhorizons. The compacted horizons limit the movement of nutrients, water and air, directly affecting the penetration of roots. Then, this work was developed with the purpose of characterizing and identifying legume plant species with ability of penetrating their roots in the compacted soils of the Bahia Costal Plains. The behavior of the species under filed conditions was studied, being evaluated the kinetics of their growth, the relative power of penetration of the roots and their influence in the resistance of the soil to the penetrometer. The selected species were: Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão, Arachis pintoi cv. Krapov & Gregory, Pueraria phaseoloides, Clitoria laurifolia, Dolichos lab lab cv. Rongay, and Desmodium ovalifolium. The results showed that Arachis pintoi was the species that showed the greatest potential for improvement of the naturally compacted soils of the Coastal Plains followed by Clitoria laurifolia.