Cultivation of cassava and cowpea in intercropping systems held in Roraima’s savannah, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this work was to assess the cultivation of cassava and cowpea in different systems and arrangements of plants in Roraima’s savannah, Brazil. The experiment was performed at the experimental field of the Department of Soil and Climate at the UFRR, Boa Vista (Roraima). The experimental design adopted was in randomized blocks, with seven treatments and four replications. The treatments were: 1) a single row of cassava in monoculture; 2) a single row of cassava plus a row of cowpea; 3) a double row of cassava in monoculture; 4) a double row of cassava plus a row of cowpea; 5) a double row of cassava plus two rows of cowpea; 6) a double row of cassava plus three rows of cowpea; and 7) cowpea in monoculture. For the cassava were assessed the following variables: yield of roots, fresh weight of shoot, harvest index, number of roots per plant, roots length, roots diameter, root dry matter, starch content and index of area equivalence. For the cowpea were assessed: yield of the grains (kg ha-1), number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, weight of 1000 seeds, and index of area equivalence. The double rows cropping systems of cassava with two and three rows of cowpea allow obtaining equivalent yield to the monoculture of cassava in single rows. The intercropping, regardless of the arrangement, reduces grain yield of cowpea. All treatments in intercropping systems exhibit a satisfactory area equivalence index, with an average of 1.55.

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