Abstract
The intercropping system has been accomplished with the objective to supply demand for foods through limited resources by smallholders conditions, associated with worries about improvement of land use efficiency. This study was carried out with the aim to assess the biometric and productive traits of Jatropha curcas in intercropping with species of forage grass and grain crops. The experiment was carried out in the district of Itahum, city of Dourados, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The treatments were J. curcas monocrop intercropping of J. curcas with Stylosanthes species, Brachiaria ruziziensis, B. ruziziensis + Stylosanthes spp., Brachiaria humidicola, Panicum maximum cv. Massai, Cajanus cajan, Crotalaria spectabilis, crop rotation system-1 (peanut/Crambe abyssinica/cowpea/ maize), crop rotation system-2 (maize off-season/C. abyssinica/soybean/peanut) and crop rotation system-3 (cowpea/radish/maize/cowpea). The species in intercropping with J. curcas did not affect its biometric traits. J. curcas reaches higher seed yield in intercropping with crop rotation system-2 (maize off-season/C. abyssinica/soybean/peanut) and crop rotation system-3 (cowpea/radish/maize/cowpea) in comparison to the other species evaluated in intercropping. J. curcas seed yield is lower in intercropping with forage grass species. Key words: Sustainability, cropping rotation, biodiesel, leguminous, oleaginous perennial.
Highlights
There are almost 200 species of oleaginous plants and Palmaceae with potential for biodiesel, as soybean, peanut, sunflower, sesame, turnip-fodder, castor oil, palm oil and Jatropha curcas (Ghosh, 2014)
J. curcas seed yield is lower in intercropping with forage grass species
The natural increment of plant height form 2008/2009 to 2009/2010 growing season was 19%, which was predictable since J. curcas reached its adult height in the fourth year after planting; this way in three years after planting the plants were in vegetable development
Summary
There are almost 200 species of oleaginous plants and Palmaceae with potential for biodiesel, as soybean, peanut, sunflower, sesame, turnip-fodder, castor oil, palm oil and Jatropha curcas (Ghosh, 2014). J. curcas belongs to Euphorbiaceae family; this species shows large agricultural potential, highlight for seed yield, oil quantity and quality, aiming to biodiesel production (Tiwari et al, 2007; Castillo et al, 2014). Seed yields obtained by stallholders in some locations in the world are limited because of feasible agricultural practice adopted (Liyama et al, 2013)
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