Intercropping of Cowpea with Eucalyptus in Northern Brazil

Manoel Mota Santos,Rogel Galvão Prates,Rodrigo Ribeiro Fidelis,Raimundo Wagner De Souza Aguiar,Weslany Silva Rocha,Tania Rodrigues Peixoto Sakai,Gilberto Coutinho Machado Filho

doi:10.5539/jas.v9n11p267

Abstract

Intercropping consist in growing two or more species with different vegetative cycles and architectures, simultaneously cultivated in same field and same period of time, not necessarily having been sown at the same time. The objective of this study was to evaluate different populations of cowpea development intercropped with Eucalyptus, in order to determine the number of rows of cowpea generates higher grain productivity. This work was carried out at Universidade Federal do Tocantins, in Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil. The treatments were arranged for different densities of cowpea rows: eight rows, six rows, and four rows of cultivars BRS Nova Era and BRS Sempre Verde, also a control in conventional cropping. The cowpea sowing occurred after 12 months eucalyptus planting. The evaluated characteristics were Flowering (FLOW), Mass of 100 grain (GM), Number of grains per green pod (NGP), Chlorophyll Index (CI) and Grain yield (GY). The density of eight rows have obtained better results for most characteristics, being the density limiting factor for bean production could unfeasible the intercropping system. The BRS Nova Era responds better on most characteristics, probably for a better adaptation to the environment and hold superior characters than BRS Sempre Verde.

Highlights

Cowpea Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp, is an import source of protein for human
Intercropping can be defined as a cultivation system which two or more crops, with different vegetative cycles and plant architecture, are concomitantly harvested in same area (Machado Filho & Silva, 2012)
According to the variance analysis (Table 3), a significant effect of cultivar versus number of row interaction was observed for flowering characteristics, chlorophyll index, number of grain per pods and grain yield evidencing interdependence of factors

Summary

Introduction

In Brazil, the season harvest 2016/2017 have cultivated approximately 1.1 million ha, and the production was 1.4 million tones (productivity 921.2 kg ha-1). In Tocantins, the planted area was 4800 ha, production of 3100 thousand tons and productivity of 642 kg ha-1 (CONAb, 2017). According to Benvindo et al (2010), in the North and Northeast of Brazil, cowpea crop generally has low yield (around 300 kg ha-1), mainly due to climate conditions, as well as low level of technology and using seeds from successive crops. Intercropping can be defined as a cultivation system which two or more crops, with different vegetative cycles and plant architecture, are concomitantly harvested in same area (Machado Filho & Silva, 2012). Sown not necessarily at same time, for a part of plant developmental there is simultaneity, causing interaction between crops. In striped crops are planted in broad strips to allow for independent management of each crop, narrow allowing interaction between crops (Vieira, 1985)

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