Effect of cover crops on the aggregation of a soil cultivated with papaya (Carica papaya L.)

• Some cover crops were planted in the interrows of a papaya’ orchards.
• The cover crops significantly improved aggregation of the soil cultivated with papaya.
• Cover crops increased the weighted diameter of the aggregates, improving soil aeration.
• Papaya fruit yield from cover crops treatments was greater than in the cleaned area.

This study examined the influence of eight types of cover crops, including a treatment with the interrows cleaned all time, on the weighted average diameter of soil aggregates (WAD), mass of soil aggregates, and crop yield of an intensively managed papaya orchards. It was observed that the lowest value for WAD was obtained in the samples from the cleaned interrows. The cover crops with calopo, sunn hemp, sorghum, pigeon pea and jack bean in association with sorghum had values of mass for soil aggregates with diameter between 7.93 and 2.00 mm greater than in soil where the plant cover was totally removed. There was a positive and significant correlation between the mass of larger diameter soil aggregates and WAD. The results clearly indicate that the addition of organic matter promoted by the cover crops supported the formation of aggregates with larger diameters and helped to improve the fruit yield of papaya, making them an important practice for sustainable agroecosystems.