Abstract
Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the agro-economic efficiency of immature cowpea-radish intercropping systems in a semiarid environment in Brazil. The experiments were carried out in two cropping seasons, in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The treatments consisted of a 4x2 factorial arrangement for the combination of four cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) cultivars (BRS Tumucumaque, BRS Cauamé, BRS Guariba, and BRS Itaim) and two radish (Raphanus sativus) cultivars (Crimson Gigante and Zapp). The agro-economic indices - system productivity index (SPI), land equivalent coefficient (LEC), and monetary equivalent ratio (MER) - were obtained using single plots of each cultivar in each block. 'BRS Tumucumaque' and 'BRS Guariba' showed the highest productivity of immature cowpea pods, and 'Crimson Gigante' showed the highest yield of marketable radish roots. The cultivation of either 'BRS Tumucumaque' or 'BRS Guariba' cowpea with 'Crimson Gigante' radish provides a greater agro-economy efficiency and sustainability for immature cowpea-radish intercropping.
Highlights
The intercropping system has been one of the main cultivation practices contributing to improve the sustainability of agricultural production and increasing crop yields (Oliveira et al, 2010; Damasceno et al, 2016)
The objective of this work was to evaluate the agro-economic efficiency of immature cowpea-radish intercropping systems in a semiarid environment in Brazil
In 2017, radish cultivars differed within each cropping season for the productivity of total and scrap roots, and Zapp showed a higher productivity than Crimson Gigante
Summary
The intercropping system has been one of the main cultivation practices contributing to improve the sustainability of agricultural production and increasing crop yields (Oliveira et al, 2010; Damasceno et al, 2016). It is necessary that the crops be considered companions, that is, formed of mutually beneficial plants when grown together, and that, in the choice of these crops and cultivars, the possibility of some complementarity between them be observed. This is possible when the species have distinct ecological niches, and the use of light, water, and nutrient absorption are maximized in more than one crop in a given area and time. When crops are grown in association, interactions occur between the component species, evidencing a response of a species modified by the presence of other ones. The success of a crop mixture will depend on the choice of the right cultivars
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