Abstract
Traditional weed control practices in Mexico use legumes as cover crops or manures. Legumes used in these practices play a dual role in agroecosystems by protecting the soil from erosion and by enriching it with organic matter and N through Rhizobium symbiosis. Farmers in the tropical regions of Mexico use Mucuna spp., Canavalia spp. and other legumes to control weeds in their fields. We conducted in vitro bioassays and greenhouse experiments to evaluate the toxic effect of four legumes velvetbean [ Mucuna deeringiana (Bort) Merr.], jackbean [ Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC.], jumbiebean [ Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit], and wild tamarind [ Lysiloma latisiliquum (L.) Benth.] on weed growth, and on the survival of insects and nematodes. The aqueous leachates (1%) of the four legumes were tested on three test plants by seed germination and radicle growth bioassays in petri dishes. The aqueous leachates of all four legumes exhibited strong phytotoxic effect on the radicle growth of the test plants. The effects of velvetbean and jackbean leachates were also evaluated on the survival of phytopathogenic nematodes. Both leachates had nematotoxic effects. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of the four legumes dried leaves incorporated as mulches to potting soil, on the number and biomass of weeds, and on the biomass of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum L.) plants. The decomposition of velvetbean and jackbean leaves in potting soil significantly reduced (>50%) the development of phytopathogenic nematodes in the roots of tomato. A 5‐yr field experiment conducted at the University of Yucatan (UADY) evaluated the effect of velvetbean and jackbean used as living cover crops, and jumbiebean and wild tamarind used as dead mulches incorporated on soil surface, on weed growth, and corn ( Zea mays L.) yield. The experimental field was treated with the traditional slash and burn system in February 1994. In July 1994 the experiment was performed using the local agricultural practices in a complete randomized block design with three repetitions. The treatments were: corn+velvetbean, corn+jackbean, corn+jumbiebean, corn+wild tamarind, corn+Paraquat (1,1′‐dimethyl‐4,4′‐bipyridinium ion) herbicide, corn weeded by hand, and plots without corn weeded by hand. The number, biomass, diversity, and relative importance of weeds, as well as corn yield, were evaluated. In addition, taxonomic composition of weeds was determined. All legumes reduced weed growth with velvetbean (as living cover crop) producing the largest weed biomass reduction (68%). These legumes also improved the yield of corn during the first 2 yr of the experiment. For better management of natural resources, the use of legumes as biological tools in agriculture to control weeds and improve soil conditions should be encouraged through coordinated efforts between farmers, academic, and governmental institutions.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Aqueous leachates of four legumes decrease radicle growth of test plants.
- Taxon
- four legumese1
- Treatment
- aqueous leachatese1
- Outcome
- radicle growth of the test plantse1
- Direction
- decreaseinferrede1
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e1“The aqueous leachates of all four legumes exhibited strong phytotoxic effect on the radicle growth of the test plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Velvetbean and jackbean leachates decrease survival of phytopathogenic nematodes.
- Taxon
- velvetbean and jackbean
Canavalia ensiformis.jpg?width=60)
Mucuna pruriens var. utilise2 - Treatment
- velvetbean and jackbean leachatese2
- Interactor
- phytopathogenic nematodese2pathogen
- Outcome
- survival of phytopathogenic nematodese2
- Direction
- decreaseinferrede3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e2“The effects of velvetbean and jackbean leachates were also evaluated on the survival of phytopathogenic nematodes”
e3“Both leachates had nematotoxic effects”
Claim · model-written summary
Decomposed velvetbean and jackbean leaves in potting soil significantly reduced (>50%) the development of phytopathogenic nematodes in tomato roots.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicume4 - Treatment
- velvetbean and jackbean leavese4
- Interactor
- phytopathogenic nematodese4pathogen
- Outcome
- development of phytopathogenic nematodese4
- Direction
- reducede4
- Value
- >50%e4
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e4“The decomposition of velvetbean and jackbean leaves in potting soil significantly reduced (>50%) the development of phytopathogenic nematodes in the roots of tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Legumes used as living cover crops reduce weed growth in corn.
- Taxon
- corn
Zea mays subsp. mayse7 - Treatment
- legumese5
- Interactor
- weede5weed
- Outcome
- weed growthe5
- Direction
- reducede5
- Setting
- University of Yucatan (UADY)e6
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“All legumes reduced weed growth with velvetbean (as living cover crop) producing the largest weed biomass reduction (68%)”
e6“field experiment conducted at the University of Yucatan (UADY)”
e7“and corn ( Zea mays L.) yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Velvetbean as living cover crop gives the largest weed biomass reduction in corn, 68%.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse7
- Treatment
- velvetbeane5
- Interactor
- weede5weed
- Outcome
- weed biomasse5
- Direction
- reductione5
- Value
- 68%e5
- Qualifier
- largeste5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“All legumes reduced weed growth with velvetbean (as living cover crop) producing the largest weed biomass reduction (68%)”
e7“and corn ( Zea mays L.) yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Legumes improved corn yield during the first 2 yr of the experiment.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse6
- Treatment
- legumese6
- Outcome
- yield of corne6
- Direction
- improvede6
- Qualifier
- during the first 2 yr of the experimente6
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e6“These legumes also improved the yield of corn during the first 2 yr of the experiment”
Claim · model-written summary
The use of legumes as biological tools in agriculture to control weeds and improve soil conditions should be encouraged.
Verbatim
e7“the use of legumes as biological tools in agriculture to control weeds and improve soil conditions should be encouraged”
The same questions in other papers
Mucuna pruriens var. utilis · weed · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
6 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
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See all 7 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.