Soybean yield in grain production systems with annual winter pasture and perennial pasture under no-tillage

Abstract

lt has been shown that ley farming is technically and economical viable. For such end, medium - and long - temi production systems integrating grain production with perennial should be indentified. The objective of this five-year study was to assess the soybean performance after pastures. Five production systems were eva'luated: system 1 (wheat/soybean, white oat/soybean, and common vetch/corn); system II (wheat/soybean, white oat/ soybean, and oat + grazed common vetch pasture/corn); system III [perennial cool season pastures (fescue + white clover + red clover + birdsfoot trefoil)]; and system IV [perennial warm season pastures (bahiagrass + black oat + ryegrass + white clover + red clover + birdsfoot frei -0H)); and system V (alfalfa as hay crop). The plot under systems III, IV, and V retumed to system I after the summer of 1996. The treatments were allocated in a complete randomized block design, with four replications. In the overall year mcan thc lowest soybean grain yield was obtained in system III, independently of the previous crop (white oat and/or wheat). Soybean grain yield was similar in the remaining ley forming proction systems. No difference was found among the systems under for the remaining agronomic traits of soybean.