Growth of Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg, native to Brazilian Cerrado, with green manure in agroecological system contributes to the preservation of the species

Abstract

Campomanesia adamantium (guavira) is a native plant of the Brazilian Cerrado used both as food and as medicine. The plant has undergone indiscriminate over-exploitation in its habitat, which, in association with fires and deforestation, puts the species at risk of extinction. To preserve the species, in situ and ex situ management actions are required and agroecological practices associated with green manuring is the recommended system. In this study, we investigated the development of C. adamantium grown with the green manures Stylosanthes macro-cephala, Pueraria phaseoloides, Calopogonium mucunoides, and Cajanus cajan, as well as the chemical and microbiological properties of the soil. The green manures had the highest production of fresh and dry masses at the second cut and C. mucu-noides, S. macrocephala, and P. phaseoloides presented the highest nutrient con-centrations. C. mucunoides mass decomposed rapidly and influenced the chemical properties of the soil, with a greater role of soil microorganisms in the biochemical process of decomposition of the organic residues. The best-developed and highest yielding plants with the highest leaf nutrient content were obtained for C. adaman-tium grown with the green manures C. mucunoides and S. macrocephala. The results showed that C. adamantium responded positively to the use of the green manure C. mucunoides with increased leaf production. This agroecological cultivation to contributes for the preservation of C. adamantium and the appropriate use of the natural resources of the Cerrado.