Productivity of irrigated maize in succession to winter crops for straw and grain production

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the productivity of irrigated maize, grown using several rates of nitrogen sidedress, in succession to different winter crops. The experiment was carried out in Eldorado
do Sul, RS, Southern Brazil, during the 2003/2004, 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 growing seasons. Maize was sown in succession to fi ve winter crops: black oat, common vetch, wild radish (straw production), white oat and wheat (grain and straw production), and to a control treatment, where the spontaneous vegetation was controlled
by successive desiccant application. Maize grain yield was higher than 8 Mg ha-1 and was not affected by the specie of preceding winter crop, when nitrogen sidedress was applied. Maize grain yield was higher, when it succeeded wild radish and in the treatment without N in side-dressing. White oat and wheat added more than 3 Mg ha-1 of straw and produced more than 1.5 Mg ha-1 of grain. With supplementary irrigation and side-dress nitrogen application, it is possible to obtain high grain yield, when corn is cultivated as a sequential crop, independently of winter cover species.