Nutrition and yield behavior of sorghum hybrids with contrasting cycles intercropped with Marandu grass

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the intercropping with Marandu grass on the nutrition and yield of sorghum hybrids with contrasting-cycle, in no-tillage system. It was used a randomized block experimental design in a factorial arrangement (2x2), with six replicates. The treatments consisted of two sorghum hybrids with contrasting cycles (P8118, medium cycle; and P8419, early cycle) and two crop systems (single and intercropped with Marandu grass in the seed row), with the seeding done in the early December. Nutrition, agronomic traits, production components, and dry matter and grain yields of the sorghum hybrids were evaluated. Except for potassium and sulphur, the leaf contents of the other nutrients were appropriate in all treatments for sorghum cropping. The hybrid P8118 had the highest grain yield and, after the intercropping, it contributed for the highest forage dry matter yield of Marandu grass in the cut performed in October. The intercropping of contrasting-cycle sorghum hybrids and Marandu grass does not affect sorghum nutrition, and dry matter and grain yields, in comparison with the single cropping, irrespectively of the hybrid cycle.