Intercropping taro with sunnhemp with cutting periods during the cycle

Abstract

The intercropping using legumes is a one of the ways of protecting of culture enabling the improvement of the physical and chemical soil conditions. The goal of this work was to evaluate the intercropping of taro with sunnhemp with cutting the sunnhemp at ten periods during the cycle. The experiment was carried under field conditions between 09/23/2010 to 06/04/2011. It consisted of 11 treatments related to 10 cutting times of crotalaria (55, 70, 85, 100, 115, 130, 145, 160, 190 and 220 days after sowing - DAS), plus single taro (control). During the cycle, taro was evaluated for plant height and incidence of leaf burn. At the time of cutting the sunnhemp, the plant height, fresh and dry matter masses, and nutrient content of the biomass were calculated. During the taro harvest, was evaluated productivity of the mother rhizomes and the cormels classified. Plants taro shaded by sunnhemp have a lower incidence of leaves burning. The court sunnhemp starting from 145 DAS affected the yield of commercial rhizomes and total and agroeconomic indexes. The court sunnhemp to 130 DAS provided better performance of taro, without compromising productivity and economic indicators, with the highest amounts of N and K observed in the biomass cut to 115 DAS.