Yield and gross income of arracacha in monocrop and intercropping with the Japanese bunching onion and parsley

Abstract

The objective of this work was to study the yield performance and to determine the gross income of arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancroft), cultivar Amarela de Carandaí, grown in monoculture as well as in intercropping with the Japanese bunching onion (Allium fistulosum L.), cultivar Todo Ano (A-JBO) and parsley (Petroselinum crispum (Mill.), cultivar Lisa Preferida (A-P). Arracacha and the Japanese bunching onion were vegetatively propagated, while parsley was propagated by seeds. The Japanese bunching onion was first harvested 87 days after the planting (DAP), with resprouts harvested 154 and 212 DAP. Parsley was first harvested 105 days after the sowing (DAS), and, resprouts, 171, 212, and 268 DAS. Arracacha was harvested 268 DAP. At the harvest carried out 212 DAP, the Japanese bunching onion plants in monocrop significantly exceeded those in intercropping in 1.73 cm height and 0.99 t ha-1 commercial fresh mass (CFM). In parsley, the CFM yield in monocrop significantly exceeded the intercropping figures in 0.63, 0.66, and 0.72 t ha-1 at harvests carried out respectively 171, 212, and 268 DAS. Plant height and CFM of the Japanese bunching onion and parsley increased after every new harvest, except in parsley, for plant height 171 DAS and CFM 268 DAS. No significant differences were found in any of the evaluated characteristics when arracacha as single crop was compared to the A-JBO intercropping arrangement. Nevertheless, the A-P intercropping arrangement significantly reduced all characteristics in relation to the other systems, except for yield of non-commercial arracacha roots. A-JBO intercropping arrangement was viable (LER = 1.49) and therefore may be employed by farmers. A-P intercropping, on its turn, was unfeasible (LER = 0.97).