Agronomic characteristics of common bean and castor bean hybrids in intercropping and monocropping

Cristiane F Lisboa,Deyner D A Silva,Alessandro G Da Silva,José H Mota,Itamar R Teixeira

doi:10.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v22n3p200-205

Abstract

ABSTRACT Common bean has great importance in the Brazilian economy and castor bean is still emerging in Midwestern Brazil, but with great potential of exploitation by farmers due to the prevailing climatic conditions and flat topography. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the agronomic characteristics of common bean cultivars and castor bean hybrids in intercropping and monocropping under the edaphoclimatic conditions of the Cerrado region. The randomized block design was used in 4 x 2 + 6 factorial scheme, with three replicates. Treatments were composed of four cultivars of common beans (BRS Pérola, BRS Esteio, BRSMG Realce and BRS Pitanga) intercropped with two castor bean hybrids (Tamar and Ag Ima), plus the respective crops in monocropping. In common bean cultivars, plant height was influenced in the intercropping with castor bean hybrids; however, agronomic characteristics of the castor bean hybrids were not influenced by common bean cultivars. The intercropping between common bean cultivars (BRS Esteio, BRSMG Realce and BRS Pitanga) and castor bean hybrids (Tamar and Ag Ima) was classified as viable by the area equivalence index, since this index presented values greater than 1.0 for the intercropping between these cultivars. This fact indicates that it would take more than one hectare in monocropping to produce the same amount than one hectare in intercropping.

Highlights

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is of great importance in the Brazilian economy and stands out as an alternative of economic exploitation for rural properties, because approximately 2.5 million tons were produced in the 2015/16 season in the country, but the national consumption was approximately 2.8 million tons and is expected to increase to 3.4 million tons in the 2016/17 season, evidencing the importance and potential of the crop in the national scene (Vieira et al, 2006; CONAB, 2017)
The highest percentage of common bean production occurs in the small rural property (IBGE, 2006), where it is cultivated predominantly in intercropping system, such as in Minas Gerais, where 60% of the common bean cultivated in the rainy period and 50% in the dry period is associated with maize and other crops (Costa & Silva, 2008)
The common bean cultivars Esteio and Pitanga exhibited the highest values of plant height for the interaction of common bean cultivars × castor bean hybrids

Summary

Introduction

Material and MethodsCommon bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is of great importance in the Brazilian economy and stands out as an alternative of economic exploitation for rural properties, because approximately 2.5 million tons were produced in the 2015/16 season in the country, but the national consumption was approximately 2.8 million tons and is expected to increase to 3.4 million tons in the 2016/17 season, evidencing the importance and potential of the crop in the national scene (Vieira et al, 2006; CONAB, 2017). The highest percentage of common bean production occurs in the small rural property (IBGE, 2006), where it is cultivated predominantly in intercropping system, such as in Minas Gerais, where 60% of the common bean cultivated in the rainy period and 50% in the dry period is associated with maize and other crops (Costa & Silva, 2008). An example is the case of common bean and castor bean, which have different nutritional requirements and cycles These crops have demand in the country; common bean is staple food of Brazilians along with rice, whereas castor bean is valued for its oil, which is used in the industry to produce various products

Objectives

Results

Conclusion