Eucalyptus agroforestry system for small farms: 2-year experiment with rice and beans in Minas Gerais, Brazil

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In Minas Gerais, Brazil, Eucalyptus plantation agroforestry techniques for small farms appear to be an adequate alternative to small-scale plantations, and by integrating timber and food production, they can meet local demands for aliment and wood. Intercropping of Eucalyptus camaldulensis with rice and beans was studied to compare yields of intercropping and monocultures over 2 years. In the first year, no differences were found in the productivity between the intercropped and monoculture systems of E. camaldulensis, rice and beans in both seasons. In the second year, E. camaldulensis in monoculture showed the lowest productivity. If compared with E. camaldulensis intercropped with agricultural crops, during the rainy season, beans intercropped with E. camaldulensis showed similar productivity when compared to monoculture. In the dry season, the productivity of beans in monoculture was higher than intercropping. In the second year, rice productivity was very low for both systems due to the lack of precipitation during the fructification phase. The equivalence area index (EAI) confirmed the advantages of the intercropping system over the monoculture system for E. camaldulensis and beans and rice, at least in the first 2 years.