Green maize intercropped with cowpea under different irrigation depths and phosphorus doses

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the response of green maize (Zea mays) intercropped with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) to irrigation depths and phosphorus doses. The experiments were carried out in 2008 and 2009 in a randomized block design, with 25 treatments and four replicates. Treatments consisted of five irrigation depths at 70, 110, 140, 180 and 220% of the crop evapotranspiration, and of five doses of P₂O₅: 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200% of the recommended P dose. Maize was sown at 0.80x0.40 m spacing, and cowpea was planted inside the lines among maize plants. There was no effect of P₂O₅doses, but the response to irrigation depths was quadratic for maize and linear for cowpea. The maximum technical yield of green ears of maize with straw (10.76 Mg ha-1) and without straw (7.62 Mg ha^-1) was obtained with 530 mm depth, intermediary to the 180 and 220% of the crop evapotranspiration. The highest cowpea green grain (3.40 Mg ha^-1) was obtained with the highest water depth, of 644 mm