PLANTAS DE COBERTURA ANTECEDENDO A CULTURA DO FEIJÃO EM ÁREA COM E SEM FOSFITO

Abstract

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is of great socioeconomic and nutritional importance in Brazil, being the main source of vegetable protein. Despite technological advances, its cultivation still faces sustainability challenges, such as soil degradation and climate change. The use of cover crops and phosphorus sources, including phosphites considering that phosphorus is one of the most limiting nutrients for production—stands out as a conservation practice that improves soil fertility and quality, favors carbon sequestration, and increases the yield of common beans and subsequent crops. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different cover crop species and phosphite application on the growth and productivity of common beans. The experiment was conducted at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Chapadão do Sul campus, in a clayey Red-Yellow Latosol. The treatments consisted of different soil covers and fertilization with and without phosphite. The results demonstrated that the application of phosphite did not provide agronomic benefits to bean cultivation and may even have limited plant performance at different stages of development; only the 1000-grain weight showed a positive result with phosphite application. Further studies are needed to understand how phosphite behaves in plant metabolism and how it interacts with other nutrients, especially phosphorus. In addition, research on cover crops should be expanded to obtain positive effects. KEYWORDS: beans, green manure, productivity.