Objective

To evaluate the effect of green manure from mycorrhized Canavalia ensiformis (L.) on the biomass yield and quality of the successor crop Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone Cuba CT-169.

Materials and Methods

A study was conducted on a soil of low natural fertility of the Base Soil Scientific Technological Unit, Barajagua, Cienfuegos, Cuba. A randomized block design was used, with three replicas and four treatments: inoculation of jack bean with the arbuscular mycorhizal fungi species Funneliformis mosseae, Glomus cubense and Rhizoglomus irregulare and a treatment without inoculation (control). After 69 days, jack bean was incorporated to the soil and 70 days later C. purpureus cv Cuba CT-169 was planted. Morphological indicators, biomass yield and crude protein content of C. purpureus were evaluated, in addition to mycorrhizal colonization of the roots and their visual density.

Results

There were no statistical differences in height, length of the fourth leaf, leaf area and stem diameter. Regarding the width of the fourth leaf, the best response was obtained with the green manure of C. ensiformis, mycorrhized with the strain R. irrregulare, without differing from the other inoculated variants, although it differed from the control (p ≤ 0,05). The biomass production showed significant differences in the variants inoculated with G. cubense and F. mosseae with regards to the control. R. irregulare did not differ from the two above-mentioned strains or from the control. In the crude protein content no statistical differences were found among the inoculated treatments, but they differed from the control.

Conclusions

The results suggest a favorable combination of green manure from mycorrhized C. ensiformis and C. purpureus cv Cuba CT-169. The inoculation of jack bean with the mycorrhizal strains increased the biomass and crude protein yield of C. purpureus cv Cuba CT-169.

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