Self-reseeding annual legume species as cover crops for rainfed olive orchards

The ground of perennial crops must be pennanently covered by herbaceous vegetation for soil protection (Lipecki and Berbeé, 1997). However, in rainfed orchards the growth of the vegetation should be kept controlled due to low water availability (Rodrigues et al., 2011). The cultivation of self-reseeding annual legumes may have advantages over natural vegetation. These species can fix atmospheric N and might be less competitive for water. ln this work, results of ground-cover %, dry matter yield and N recovery are presented for severa! legume species sown in a rainfed olive orchard. The suitability of these plants to be grown as cover crops is tested, taking into account that tbese agrosystems are not grazed by animais. The self-seeding of the legumes over the years must be achieved by cutting the vegetation as a simulation of grazing.

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