Agrobiological and economic optimization of cowpea-carrot intercropping under green manure management in the semiarid region
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-21252026v3915330rcKeywords:
Daucus carota. Vigna unguiculata. Merremia aegyptia. Calotropis procera. Associated-cropping revenues.Abstract
Appropriate management of the types and amounts of green manure from the Caatinga biome and population densities of component crops is required for the agroecological success of intercropping in the semi-arid region. This study evaluated cowpea–carrot intercropping under the application of different amounts of Merremia aegyptia and Calotropis procera biomass. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, arranged in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme with 4 replicates, during two cropping seasons in a semi-arid environment. The factors consisted of green manure of M. aegyptia and C. procera biomass amounts (20, 36, 52, and 68 t ha−1, dry basis) and cowpea population densities (80, 120, 160, and 200 thousand plants ha−1).The highest agro-bioeconomic returns of cowpea–carrot intercropping were obtained with a land equivalent ratio of 1.83, productive efficiency index of 0.97, Z canonical variable score of 2.90, competitive ratio of 2.43, actual yield loss of 1.71, gross income of 165,657.79 BRL ha−1, net income of 138,016.67 BRL ha−1, and rate of return of 6.64 for each real invested in the combinations of green manure biomass input and cowpea population densities of 47.12 and 156; 68.00 and 124; 48.62 and 145; 52.48 and 188; 47.93 and 150; 43.99 and 164; 38.02 and 141; and 42.56 t ha−1 and 165 thousand cowpea plants per hectare, respectively.
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