Intercropping of sorghum with congo grass (Brachiaria ruziziensis) on soybean succession at the rainy season

Abstract

Sorghum intercropping with Brachiaria has the potential to improve grain yield and dry matter in the Cerrado region, but there are no studies on the ideal density of Brachiaria seeds for adoption in intercropping when the system is deployed at the beginning of the rainy season. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the intercropping of sorghum with Brachiaria ruziziensis that may provide higher yield of grain sorghum and dry mass of both crops. We also evaluated the performance of soybeans in succession after intercropping. The test was conducted in 2013/14 and 2014/15 in tropical climate region with wet and dry seasons. The experimental design followed a randomized complete block in a factor 3 x 5 + 1 + 5, corresponding to three intercropping Brachiaria ruziziensis seeding systems (row, inter-row and broadcast sowing) associated with five densities of Brachiaria (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 pure viable seeds m-2) plus the additional treatments related to monocultures of the grain sorghum and the five densities of the Brachiaria. The Brachiaria ruziziensis association with sorghum cultivation proved to be a promising technique for improving grain yield and dry matter at different times of the year without affecting the development and yield of the soybean crop culture. The best results were achieved with planting of Brachiaria ruziziensis in the line at the sowing density of 8 viable pure m-2 seeds and the inter-row sowing density of 6 viable pure m-2 seeds