Mulching and its effects on soil properties and production of irrigated beans

Plant residues employed as mulching material are one of the main factors that contribute to the improvement of the physical, chemical and biological soil proprieties for subsequent crops. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the combination of different amounts of residues and mineral nitrogen on soil physical attributes, soil temperature, soil water content and grain yield during the whole cycle of a bean crop under the no-tillage system. The experiments were organized in randomized blocks with three replications using a 3x4 factorial design. The nitrogen levels were zero, 50kg·ha-1 and 120kg·ha-1 and the straw mulch amounts were zero, 4.0t·ha-1, 6.0t·ha-1 and 10.0t·ha-1. The treatments that received residues applications presented greater maintenance of soil water content throughout the whole cultivation cycle when compared to the soil without mulching. The treatment of 10.0t·ha-1 amount of mulching on the surface promoted reduction in the soil penetration resistance, increase in the soil water content and minor differences of temperature throughout the cycle of the culture. The treatment of 10,0t·ha-1 of residues and nitrogen promoted an increase in the yield of beans.